Frecattò, fricandò or fricò of vegetables: these are just some of the variants with which a typical dish of the Marche region cuisine consisting of a side dish of mixed vegetables. As in the case of the even more famous French ratatouille recipe, even that of frecantò has poor origins. In the Marche region, in fact, vergara (a term from the Marche dialect to indicate the woman of the house) used to prepare this rich side dish, cooked in a pan or in the oven, using the vegetables from the garden or in season that she had available. Even though there is no real original recipe, we want to show you which are the most common preparations and what is the origin of this dish, as simple as it is tasty and genuine.

Origins of the name and evolution of the frecantò

The name frecantò or fricandò is the Italian adaptation of French term fricandeau, which indicates a sort of veal stew cooked in a casserole with vegetables and an addition of broth or white wine, of which there is a vegetarian version also known as ratatouille. While the Italian and carnivorous version of the classic French fricandeau has taken hold in traditional Piedmontese and Aosta Valley cuisine, the one based only on vegetables has been acquired, albeit with some modifications, from both the Marche and the Emilia-Romagna cuisine.

In the Marche however, there is also a fun one alternative history on the origin of the name. It is said, in fact, that a group of friends from the Marches used to meet and challenge each other with food and that the butcher Antonio always won, who used to prepare all kinds of meat-based dishes. To reverse the situation was the friend of the gardener who prepared a mixed dish made with vegetables from his own garden, so good that it was greeted with a "Fregantò!", Or "You screwed Antonio", hence the gastronomic name and its many variants.

A mix of vegetables, many preparations

Healthy, vegetarian and above all seasonal dish, the frecantò was originally cooked mostly in large pans, always with a gradual addition of water or wine, and has always been appreciated above all as summer recipe. Eaten both warm and cold, this side dish can be eaten as a single dish or as an accompaniment to a second course or a slice of homemade bread. In the kitchen, however, it can also be used in the most disparate ways, for example to fill a sandwich or a flatbread or as a sauce to season a pasta dish. To the more classic cooking in a pan, many prefer that in the oven, which provides that vegetables, oil and various seasonings and aromas are poured all together in a baking dish and cooked for about 30 minutes at 180 degrees.
But let's get to what are the most used ingredients. For the recipe they are usually employed onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, aubergines, peppers, courgettes, cherry tomatoes and a pinch of final salt, to be added to the pan in this order, or following the different cooking times; optional, however, the use of garlic, black pepper and chilli, as well as that of aromatic herbs to add at the end, for example parsley or rosemary. The addition of white wine during cooking and a sprinkling of breadcrumbs in the case of the version prepared in the oven is also optional.

In short, anyone can try their hand at preparing this very easy Marche side dish, experimenting with the most disparate and imaginative seasonal and personalized variants.