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Donadeo Giardiniera Sott’Oilio

Donadeo Giardiniera Sott’Oilio (Pepperoncini)



This recipe yields approximately 6.5 kilos of sliced peppers to pack into jars from a case of 15 kilos of peppers.
Course Preserve
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 17 hours
Total Time 17 hours
Servings 28 - 30 jars
Author Valerie Lugonja via the Donadeo Recipe Vault

Ingredients

  • Ingredients
  • 1 case of long skinny sweet banana peppers; 6-9 inches long , may be green to yellow to reddish (after cleaning and taking off the ends, there were 5 kilos of peppers sliced. I believe the box was originally 10 kilos)
  • 4 long skinny hot banana peppers; 6-9 inches long , may be green to yellow to reddish
  • 500 g stuffed whole green olives , sliced (1 tablespoon sliced greed olives per 250mL jar)
  • 1.2 kilo kosher salt
  • 6 litres vinegar
  • 6 litres water
  • 100 g water
  • 100 g vinegar
  • 1.6 litre extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove. cleaned and peeled , per jar

Instructions

  1. Wash and cut the sweet peppers lengthwise, in strips, cleaning and removing all seeds
  2. Wash and cut the hot peppers lengthwise, cleaning and removing all seeds
  3. Slice roughly into 1cm x 4 cm strips; place into large bowl while cutting

Specific pepper slicing instructions:

  1. The pepper slices will be approximately 1cm x 4cm
  2. Most peppers will need to be sliced into fourths to approximate these measurements, some into thirds
  3. Slice the pepper lengthwise; clean it out the seeds and all membrane
  4. To ensure the slices aren’t curved, slice each half into thirds or fourths; slice 1cm strips vertically from each pepper section

Instructions for salting peppers:

  1. For every 2 kilo of sliced peppers, add 250g of Kosher salt; toss ingredients gently with hands to ensure all pepper slices are completely covered with salt
  2. Rest for 24 hours lightly covered with tea towel; the peppers will macerate in the salt and expel considerable liquid, therefore, shrinking
  3. Slice hot peppers the same way; cover with the same ratio of salt in a separate bowl; toss and rest for 24 hours lightly covered with tea towel
  4. Rinse and wash with water the next morning

Instructions for soaking sliced peppers in vinegar:

  1. Combine water and vinegar; cover peppers with this mixture and sit for 24 hours
  2. Sterilize jars
  3. Drain peppers; add 1 litre vinegar and one liter water to each 2 kilo amount of drained sliced peppers
  4. For the hot peppers, add 100g water and 100g vinegar to the rinsed peppers
  5. Pat olives dry, and slice; set aside

Instructions for filling ¼ litre cylindrical jars:

  1. Determining the amount of spice per jar is dependent upon the spice in the hot peppers; we put 2 teaspoons of the diced hot peppers into half of the jars
  2. Use the equivalent of 2-3 whole olives per jar, interspersing amongst pepper slices; arrange a couple on the outside for added appeal
  3. Place one garlic clove into the bottom of each jar; we put garlic into half of our jars
  4. Press pepper slices mixed with olive slices into each sterilized jar so tight that there are no air pockets in between the ingredients; press again from the top of the jar to ensure no air pockets in the jar
  5. Cover with extra virgin olive oil; even though there were no visual air pockets, the oil will find its way down the sides and in between the pressed ingredients (if it doesn't, carefully help it along with a thin wooden skewer carefully pressed toward the side of the jar and down, then pulled back a little to release a path for the oil to seep into)
  6. Press ingredients in the top down again, into the oil, and top up with oil
  7. Once all are immersed in oil, to avoid contamination,carefully wipe jar rim, to clean; seal each jar tightly
  8. Place in cool dark place for at least 4 weeks to cure

Instructions for eating peppers:

  1. Enjoy this condiment after 4 weeks; Tony says you can sneak one in a week, and after 2 they should be pretty tasty: traditionally eaten as a condiment on Italian sandwiches
  2. For me, I plan to eat them straight from the jar, one at a time, remembering that unforgettable green bean
  3. I will also try them tossed with garbonzo beans and feta for a Winter salad; however I eat the giardiniera, it will be showcased up front and central, most likely not hidden in a sandwich. Though that would be delicious, we worked way too hard for these perky little peppers to be sandwiched amongst other flavours in a bun. :)

Recipe Notes

One case of peppers made 8.5 kilos of sliced peppers; after salted, vinegared, and blotted dry, the yield was 6.550 kilos of sliced peppers.