This is an Ode to Pinzimonio (and Panzanella Salad)… Dear readers of “Open Celery,” as I’m sure you’re aware, it’s July, and, as you certainly know, in the Northern Emisphere it’s a very hot month, with its Heat Warning Alerts!
Therefore, I can confidently say that now – summertime – it’s the ideal time to establish the world’s pinzimonio day: raw vegetables dipped in extra virgin olive oil (or a top-quality oil of your choice), seasoned with salt and pepper… yum yum!
Welcome to “Open Celery!” our monthly newsletter on plant-based recipes, stories and unsolicited advice made in Italy. It’s the fruit (and vegetable) of the collaboration between ottimoblog.com and appetibilis.net
Published in Italian and English (and happily edited and translated by Orsola)… at some point, we’d like to have it in podcast as well 😀
(Cliccate qui per “Apriti Sedano!” in italiano)
Just a quick heads-up: both Pinzimonio (a mix of vegetables crudités), and Panzanella Salad (a bread salad), are the freshest no-cooking appetizers within the Italian cuisines collection of very easy recipes.
Needless to say that there are countless variations on a theme, from chili peppers to various degrees of spicy spices, you may also add:
- paprika,
- a citronette / vinaigrette,
- our legendary majonesa (our plant-based mayo)
- a touch of mustard
- fresh herbs
- flavoured oils (*)
- lemon juice
- or vinegar…
Shall I continue? You name it! 😉
Why pinzimonio in the first place?
What is so remarkable about pinzimonio? Why pinzimonio in the first place? First of all, it’s very easy to make and also quite quick to put together.
Seasonal vegetabless ideally suited for this dish are: carrots, zucchini (the green parts), cucumbers, bell peppers, celery (even the more tender leaves), tomatoes… But also fennel, radishes, the tender leaves of endive, radicchio and artichokes (this one is for the adventurous).
Cutting vegetables is the part that takes some time, especially if you want to do a good job. In this regard, I suggest reading this article that may be helpful: How to pick and cut vegetables.
The sauce is very important! It may look like an average condiment but is not, it’s an integral part of the dish. Needless to say, it must be made with the highest quality ingredients.
- An oil from a relative’s olive orchard, who pick and squeezes the olives one by one.
- An artisanal sea-salt harvested in Sardinia, so wholesome as to put the most gastro-fanatics to silence.
- Some of the finest black pepper handpicked in the South Indies…
Joking aside, it’s always a great idea to eat good-quality products: they’re good for your taste buds and for your health.
If I may add a note: in macrobiotics, the best time to eat raw vegetables and raw oil is precisely the warm season. So? Let’s take full advantage of it!
The basic recipe for pinzimonio
Have you discovered the basic recipe for pinzimonio hidden between the lines of this Ode to Pinzimonio (and Panzanella Salad)? Super!
As you may have noticed, it is delightfully simple! To make it look simply amazing, you’ll need to put some time, and care, into cutting and arranging the vegetables.
“Seasonal vegetables ideally suited for this dish are: carrots, zucchini (the green parts), cucumbers, bell peppers, celery (even the more tender leaves), tomatoes… But also fennel, radishes, the tender leaves of endive, radicchio and artichokes (this one is for the adventurous).”
[servings: (many) | total time: 20 minutes | difficulty: very easy]
| Please note that the info and directions provided for the recipes are indicative: the end result may vary from person to person |
Pinzimonio is a great option for any time of day, whether you’re looking for a light appetiser or a snack. The suggested ingredients can be mixed and matched depending on what’s in season, your personal taste, and that of your guests.
Ingredients
- Veggies in season
- Oil (*)
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
Directions
- Wash, dry, and cut the vegetables into sticks (julienne).
- Pour the oil into individual small bowls, and season it with a generous pinch of salt and a turn of ground pepper.
- Arrange the vegetables on a plate, or as a “bouquets” in a container (like a jar), and dip the vegetables (one stick at time) in the sauce.
Just be careful, the oil splashes and it can get messy.
About the oil (*) – Unless otherwise specified, we may use organic and cold-pressed evo oil or sunflower seed oil, (the high-oleic type for frying).
Roman tale on Pinzimonio
There is this Roman tale on Pinzimonio. It’s so interesting how different places have different names for the same thing! Apparently, in Florence, it’s called “pinzimonio,” but in Rome, it’s “cazzimperio.”
You should know, in case you’ll visit Rome, that “cazzimperio” it’s a very “colorful” term. I have a certain idea about the name’s origin thought, but this is not the right place to talk about it 🫣
In a collection of Roman sonnets – by the poet Gioacchino Belli (Rome 1789 – 1863) – there is this one (from 1831) that’s kind of explicit about it: “La bbotta de fianco” (The kick on the side) talks about pinzimonio … and how “appetibile” Ms. Rosa is 😉
“… Scappò allora ridenno er sor Zaverio:/ “Co’ ssale e ppepe e cquattro gocce d’ojjo,/ Poderissimo facce er cazzimperio.”
[IT] Allora scappò ridendo il signor Saverio:/ “Con sale e pepe e quattro gocce d’olio,/ ci potremmo fare il cazzimperio”.
[EN] Then, Mr. Saverio fled laughing/ “With salt and pepper and few drops of oil,/ we could make the cazzimperio.
About Panzanella Salad
If you have any leftover vegetables and a chunk of stale bread, you can make a delicious salad called Panzanella. Check the article My Panzanella Newyorkese where Orsola recounts the history, with the recipe, of this Italian “Cucina Povera” dish… And Buon Appetibilis!
Link all’articolo in italiano
Ode al pinzimonio (e alla panzanella)… Apriti sedano!
More on Quick Bites
I’m an Italian gluten-free Gourmet Traveler+ and a passionate storyteller, writing in English and Italian. Fluently speaking (eating and dreaming) in Italian, English, French, and Russian. When I’m not writing, I cook and test recipes for special diets, and photograph (also on film). Not necessarily in that order. — / — Sono una viaggiatrice buongustaia (la Gourmet Traveler+) senza glutine, appassionata narratrice di storie. Scrivo in italiano e inglese, parlo (mangio e sogno) fluentemente in italiano, inglese, francese e russo. Quando non scrivo, cucino, testo ricette dolci e salate per diete speciali, fotografo (anche in pellicola). Non necessariamente in quest’ordine.
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