Forget canning.
You can preserve summer in a pisto.
Hola my friends,
During these steamy days of late August is a time when I am always looking at my garden wondering what am I going to do with all those tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and zucchinis?
While most people will turn to traditional canning to preserve the bounty of late summer vegetable gardens, there are also a few other Spanish ways to preserve vegetables.
Today I want to talk to you about a technique from La Mancha called Pisto which is a kind of preserve made from tomatoes, red and green peppers, and zucchini. This traditional method requires a lot of chopping, but other than that it’s simple. It’s a recipe every mother and grandmother knows, and one that preserves the texture and tastes of each ingredient while making one of the most delicious savory salsas.
What should you do with pisto? Well, for me, I love it with cheese and bread like a sandwich. I also often have it with good canned tuna, or as a topping for fried eggs with some chorizo. There’s really not a wrong time to eat pisto, you’ll find it just makes whatever’s on your plate so much better.
Summer’s End Pisto