Northern Italy and vegetables packed in oil: the combination of tradition and nature

Vegetables packed in oil date way back; they were born out of the need to keep supplies for the winter. Summer vegetables were packed in oil and kept for the coldest months. Nowadays, we do not need to stock up on food anymore, but we still love packing vegetables in oil.

Cauliflower, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onions, aubergines and the list goes on. Pretty much every vegetable can be packed in oil, and much more.

What happens inside the jar? The oil acts as insulation and prevents direct contact with air, hence fully inhibiting growth of aerobic bacteria. And even if handmade preserves may be risky because of botulism, commercially available jars are totally safe.  

What’s the secret behind a delicious jar? There is one main difference between bad, good and excellent vegetables packed in oil: ingredients. It is easier said than done: great Italian companies, such as Nonno Andrea, are a safe bet. 

For instance, in order to make delicious bell peppers packed in oil, we need, first of all, tasty fresh bell peppers that are properly treated, and then we need oil: it is an absolutely fundamental ingredient which can noticeably affect the final flavour. If it’s not prime-quality oil, the product is not going to be good.

Nationwide tradition

Vegetables packed in oil belong to the culinary tradition of our country.

They pair well with cold cut and cheese platters, they can be put on bruschetta and toasts and can be used to put together a quick and extremely tasty pasta sauce. They are a great accompaniment for boiled meat and Soprassata and they also taste amazing in sandwiches. My top three flavour combinations are: vine tomatoes packed in oil and Pecorino cheese, artichokes packed in oil and Mortadella and bell peppers packed in oil with goat cheese. Delicious vegetables in oil also come in handy when our fridge is empty and some friends come knocking at our door.

Vegetables packed in oil are beloved all over Italy, but there are two exceptional manufacturers in Northern Italy. These vegetables packed in oil have an altogether different flavour; maybe it’s because of the cold winters, the soil or the skills of farmers.

Nonno Andrea

This company is located in Villorba, in the province of Treviso. Biodiversity and environment protection are the core values of this company. Thanks to the use of recyclable material and packaging, solar panels to make clean energy and flowering shrubs for bees and insects, Nonno Andrea has an environmental impact close to zero. 

Why are Nonno Andrea’s vegetables packed in oil so special? First of all, the vegetables themselves are exceptional. Nonno Andrea is not a canning facility, it is an actual organic farm.

All their products are ‘biodiversity friend’ certified and are cultivated following the natural change of seasons and crop rotation. Aubergines and zucchini are only cultivated under the summer sun, while kale and radicchio are only cultivated in the winter. They do not use any greenhouses: everything is cultivated in their garden.

The typical rocky soil of this area makes irrigation difficult, but it also gives particular mineral properties to the vegetables, also affecting the final flavour. 

The oil they use is also organic, as well as the apple cider vinegar and cane sugar. When you only choose the best ingredients, the end product is bound to be nothing short of excellent.

PGI Radicchio Rosso is the symbol of the city of Treviso; it is just grilled and packed in oil. The flavour is intact.

White asparagus are sweeter than green ones and they can be served as a starter with eggs or cold cuts to make a great impression on your guests. Mustard enhances the flavour and amplifies it; the vegetables packed in oil at the supermarket cannot even compare to Nonno Andrea’s jars.

Vine tomatoes with lemon and basil are an explosion of flavour. They pair exceptionally well with fish or even on a slice of toasted bread.

Bell peppers with rosemary taste amazing on pizza and look incredible on a cheese and cold cut platter.

Pumpkin, which is already sweet, is plunged in a sweet-and-sour sauce to balance its flavour out. Delica pumpkin comes from Veneto and has an especially crunchy flesh which makes it ideal for preservation in oil.

Cascina Pizzavacca

Let’s move on to the province of Piacenza: Cascina Pizzavacca is located in Soarza. The facilities of this company were fully turned into a modern farm, focusing on the environment and the ties to tradition. Everything they do here - from vegetables packed in oil, through jams and sauces, to fruit nectars - is 100% natural.

Modern solar panels and composting plants go hand in hand with the recipes of peasant tradition and the result is simply extraordinary.

Red onion of Piacenza is a must and it is put into a sweet-and-sour sauce, as well as sautéed aubergines, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, bell peppers, celery and fennel. The oil and vinegar mix balances the flavour out, cleanses the palate with a hint of sourness and makes you want to take another bite.

Vegetables packed in oil should never miss in your pantry. There is a huge gap between mediocre and tasteless jars from the supermarket and proper oil-preserved vegetables, such those by Nonno Andrea and Cascina Pizzavacca. They are beyond excellent and you can taste the power of nature and tradition packed into each bite.