Zucca in Agrodolce - Sicilian sweet and sour pumpkin

 

Sicilians have lots of proverbs around food, they say for example, 'You can spice pumpkin how you want, but it's still pumpkin', and this saying they apply equally to pumpkins and people. 

And Sicilians also love sweet and sour food like their famous Caponata, and the lesser known, Zucca in Agrodolce. This dish would be perfect warm or cold with roast pork or chicken, and just as welcome alongside a buffet. In fact, make a lot, or guard them as you make them, as family passing through the kitchen won't be able to resist taking one and then coming back...

So cut your pumpkin into chip size pieces and gently fry in a drop of olive oil, till they catch a little colour and start to soften, remove. Make a mixture of white wine vinegar and sugar, stir to dissolve. Add some more olive oil to the pan and add in some chopped garlic, and as it starts to brown, throw in the vinegar mixture (careful as it will splash at you) return the pumpkin and cook until the liquid has more or less evaporated and the pumpkin is cooked (just a few minutes). Then remove and season with salt and pepper, add any remaining liquid, and dust with cinnamon. If you have some mint in your garden add a few leaves.

As your family stare at you with new found admiration whilst nibbling these, say, 'Them Sicilians, you know what else they say, Non c'è megghiu sarsa di la fami., Hunger is the best sauce, true innit?'