We give a second life to withered vegetables

Just like some fruits, vegetables are full of secrets. One might think they are just foods with a short shelf life, yet, once wilted, they bounce back.

With some precise advice, extend the life of your vegetables and limit waste. If your radishes are rotting, your onions have sprouted, or your salad is wilting, don't throw away a crumb and try these recovery and storage tips instead.

Store vegetables

It is best to store vegetables in the refrigerator drawer. Once they start, keep them there, ideally in jars. These foods, rich in ethylene, a molecule that causes them to mature naturally, can deteriorate rapidly in contact with air and humidity. For this reason, it is also advisable to buy them day by day according to the foreseen menu, to ensure their freshness and not risk deterioration.

You can also freeze them in advance. But be careful to blanch the vegetables well before putting them in the freezer. To do this, immerse them for two to three minutes in boiling water before transferring them to ice water and draining.

Finally, the point not to be forgotten: do not mix fruit and vegetables in the same container, since in contact with the ethylene of the fruit, the ripening process of the vegetables accelerates, up to premature withering.

Recovers and anticipates the deterioration of vegetables, thanks to water

After a few days in the refrigerator compartment, the vegetables that we haven't had time to eat start to turn ugly. The salad has softened, the peppers have wilted, foam has appeared on the tomatoes. The degradation of these foods can lead us to throw them away, yet they are completely recoverable. As a no-brainer, toss any damaged or mushy vegetables into a bowl of fresh water and it will restore their crunch, vigor and color.

If water is the ingredient for the recovery of vegetables, it can also be used to anticipate their deterioration, as soon as they are purchased. This also applies to herbaceous plants, such as fresh herbs.

Herbs, plants that turn black too quickly

To prevent your bunch of basil from turning black after only 24 hours of purchase, place its still fresh leaves, whole or not, in a basin of fresh water. You will keep their vigor in the long run. Enough to avoid the disappointment of finding your basil withered one day when you intended to use it for the preparation of your tomato mozzarella.

An onion that sprouts does not go to waste

If your onions have sprouted, dip them, this time, not in water, but in soil. Half-planted and unpeeled, onion sprouts should grow a new, fresh onion. Remember to water it well.

We offer you some recipes to give a second change to your "ugly" vegetables with the products on Vettovaglia.com using the gluten-free pasta from Pastificio Pangea :

Vegetable gravy

One of the simplest and tastiest recipes; that of withered vegetable sauce. In this case, a few ingredients will suffice: courgettes, aubergines, peppers and cherry tomatoes. Cut the vegetables into cubes and stew them in a pan with extra virgin olive oil until they are soft. Then add the halved cherry tomatoes, salt, black pepper and a sprinkling of fresh oregano. Let everything cook for a few minutes at the maximum temperature, then add the pasta to the sauce obtained.

Rocket pesto

Rocket pesto is an excellent alternative to the classic Genoese pesto. To prepare it you can use rocket, pine nuts, grated cheese (preferably Parmigiano Reggiano), garlic, salt and extra virgin olive oil. Grind all the ingredients in the mixer until you get a homogeneous cream. You can also add a little lemon juice to add a little freshness. Season the pasta with the pesto and add a few diced tomatoes.

Standard gravy

Norma sauce is a typical dish of Sicilian cuisine made up of tomatoes, aubergines, basil and salted ricotta. To prepare it, cut the aubergines into thick slices, arrange them in a colander and sprinkle them with coarse salt to make them lose their bitterness. After about half an hour, rinse them under running water to remove the salt. Cook the peeled tomatoes in a pan with extra virgin olive oil, garlic and fresh basil, then add the diced aubergines and cook for a few more minutes. Serve the pasta topped with the sauce and a sprinkling of grated ricotta salata.

On vettovaglia.com you will find a wide selection of healthy, tasty and high quality food products. In particular, you can buy gluten-free pasta from the Pangea pasta factory in various formats at competitive prices.

Shipping is fast and traceable, with secure payment and easy and efficient returns. Don't give up the taste of pasta just because you have to follow a gluten-free diet: choose Pangea's gluten-free pasta on vettovaglia.com and treat yourself to a healthy and tasty culinary experience.