Capitone, Arrosto o Fritto

Eel meat is oilier than that of many fish, and is consequently ideally suited to the grill. This recipe is drawn from Caròla Francesconi's La Cucina Napoletana, and is an indispensable part of the Christmas Eve dinner.

To serve 6:

Cut the eel into pieces about 3 inches long, wash them, dry them, and rub them with the garlic. Slip them onto skewers, alternating them with bay leaves. Season them with salt and pepper and drizzle the oil and vinegar over them; let them sit in the marinade for at least an hour.

To make grilled eel:

Grill the pieces over a medium flame for about a half hour, turning them frequently and basting them with olive oil.

To make fried eel:

Do not skewer the pieces, but rather sprinkle them with oil and dot them with pieces of bay leaf. Once they have marinated roll the fish in flour and fry the pieces in moderately hot oil until they are browned and crunchy on the outside. Drain them well on absorbent paper and salt them.