Welcome to our newsletter of recipes from classic Wichita restaurants
This newsletter features recipes for menu items created in local restaurants. Most of them are closed now, but you most likely have happy memories of dining at certain restaurants in Wichita.
We combed through our archives to find recipes previously published in the Wichita Eagle over the years that were popular with readers.
In this newsletter, you’ll receive a recipe a day, Monday through Friday, through mid-December.
We hope you enjoy these delicious reminders of Wichita’s dining past:
Angelo’s is still a Wichita institution, 61 years after founders Angelo and Anna Fasciano opened their first restaurant on South Laura.
Though the restaurant, now run at 5900 E. Central by the founders’ son, Jack, and granddaughter, Gina, is still best known for its pizza and homey pasta dishes, it’s always been famous for the pickled eggplant topping on its Italian salads.
In 1979, Angelo shared the recipe with former Wichita Eagle food writer Kathleen Kelly.
(The Wichita Eagle’s Denise Neil has written a book called “Classic Restaurants of Wichita” that details Wichita’s rich restaurant history and includes profiles of nearly 100 different establishments. Interested in a copy? Message her at dneil@wichitaeagle.com.)
Angelo’s Pickled Eggplant
Five pounds of fresh eggplant
White vinegar
Salt
Pepper
Oregano
Garlic powder or granules
First, wash the eggplant and cut off the stems. Be sure to take off enough so that you have no hard core remaining. Peel the eggplant; a good vegetable peeler does the best job, though you may use a knife.
Slice the eggplant 1/4-inch thick; then slice again into julienne strips. Sprinkle the strips heavily with salt (pickling or non-iodized), mixing the salt and eggplant thoroughly. Place in a relatively narrow container — crockery, plastic or enameled, not aluminum. Place a plate that fits inside the container on top of the eggplant and weigh it down.
The salt and weight will remove liquid (it will be dark in color) from the eggplant. Drain this liquid and continue to squeeze the eggplant until no more liquid can be extracted. At home you can use two stainless steel colanders, one small enough to fit inside the other, and allow the juice to run out, and just keep squeezing.
When enough liquid has been squeezed from the eggplant, it will be a greenish-gray wad. The importance of getting all the juice out can’t be overemphasized. If juice is left in the eggplant, it will dilute the vinegar and oil used for pickling. The juice may make the pickle bitter and reduce its keeping qualities.
Break up the mass of eggplant and place in a non-aluminum container. Bring enough white vinegar to cover (or use half vinegar and half water) to a boil and pour hot over the eggplant. Let stand 15 minutes or so to allow the vinegar to penetrate the shards of eggplant. It can be allowed to stand for several hours in the vinegar, if necessary.
Drain the vinegar from the eggplant and squeeze again, though not so dry as before; some of the vinegar flavor should be retained. Spice according to your own taste. You’ll need to season with salt, pepper, oregano and garlic powder or granules (not garlic salt). Try 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder and 1 1/2 tablespoons oregano for 5 pounds of whole eggplant.
Mix in spices and enough good-quality olive oil to saturate the shards of eggplant. Stir occasionally to mix well. You should be able to taste the vinegar; if not, add more to the mixture. Neither the garlic nor the oregano should dominate the flavor.
If you make a mistake and add too much of anything, correct by slicing, salting and squeezing, steeping in vinegar and squeezing another eggplant to add to the mixture.
Before storing in the refrigerator, pour a layer of oil over the top of the mixture to form a “seal” that will keep air from getting into the eggplant. Cover with a lid.
