The Giardiniera Piemontese or antipasto langarolo is a jewel of the gastronomy of the area. Find out more about this traditional dish, unmissable on festive occasions.

A traditional Piedmontese menu cannot miss the Giardiniera: what is it about? It is an appetizer made with summer vegetables, olive oil, sugar and vinegar: a simple recipe, genuine ingredients and an always fresh and inviting taste. Discover with us how this champion of Piedmontese tradition was born!

Piedmontese gardener: a time machine for summer flavours!

To discover the origins of the Giardiniera, we need to go back in time. They were years of peasant life, among the villages of Piedmont, a period that until more than half of the twentieth century continued to dictate times and rules of everyday life.

Preserving summer harvests, in order to be able to consume vegetables even in autumn and winter, was essential. For this reason the tradition of canning was born, a system of solutions suitable for storing food for long months. Homemade preserves were (and still are, albeit to a lesser extent over the years) widespread throughout the peninsula.

Each region has perfected recipes and traditions, going so far as to propose real typical dishes that are still very sought after today. The Giardiniera Piemontese is one of them: an appetizer that is never lacking in a true traditional menu, both in Summer and Winter. With the addition of tuna (heritage of the trades that took place along the salt route) or boiled eggs is really a classic. It’s one of those flavours that captivates you and through the scents you can relive childhood memories and memories of our grandmothers’ cooking.

Piedmontese gardener: how do you prepare?

The traditional recipe of the Piedmontese Giardiniera is that the vegetables are harvested in the summer to perfectly ripen. There are celery, tomatoes, carrots, cauliflower inflorescences, beans, peppers and onions. The vegetables are peeled and cut into small pieces.

A homemade tomato sauce is then prepared, making the tomatoes boil and crushing them in a vegetable paste. Vegetables should be added to the tomato sauce, starting with those that require the longest cooking time. When we add the last ones, just before the end of cooking, pour the vinegar. A special touch, which gives aroma and guarantees longevity to the preserved product. The recipe is simple, yet it takes time and a lot of care to achieve that unique character that makes it unmistakable.

La Gardener of vegetables in sweet and sour sauce Ghiotto Galfrè

The secret of a good Piedmontese gardener? The balance given by sugar and vinegar, which give the dish a pleasantly sweet and sour taste. In Piedmont we are jealous guardians of the family version: every village, every village has its own small variations that are handed down from generation to generation! With the Ghiotto Galfrè 1901 line we have chosen to pay homage to the good flavours of yesteryear, and the Sweet and Sour Vegetable Giardiniera is just one of them.

We make it exactly as we used to: we carefully choose the best vegetables, at the right point of ripening, we cook them according to the same recipe of a hundred years ago, adding sugar and wine vinegar to give the dish the authentic aroma that makes it so delicious. The secret of our Giardiniera? Vegetables cooked at the right point, which preserve a natural crispiness, dipped in an Italian tomato sauce with the addition of a few selected spices. Ready for the table, it is even more delicious with the addition of tuna and olives. A chef's trick? Heat the water bath jar to enhance the taste!

Of course, speaking of Piedmontese Giardiniera and good appetizers of the past, the appetite grows: try our delicious speciality, you can find it in our Online Shop. Taste the most delicious Piedmontese tradition... and let us know what you think by sharing your thoughts on Social!