Calabrian gastronomy

The culinary tradition of Calabria remains robust, with the intense flavours of ancient recipes: in fact the passage of many cultures from around the Mediterranean have marked its history and their traces are still preserved. Calabria's gastronomic profile comprises the influences of both east and west: a lot of dishes come from the Greeks and the Arabs.

Sausages, lard, Mustica, cheese, pickled aubergines and sun dried tomatoes were the key for ensuring the survival in periods of famine which were not infrequent in this corner of Italy.

Calabria is also rich of typical festivals. The themes are the most diverse and extravagant. There are, in fact, historical heritage, culinary background and ancient religious ceremonies closely linked.

The folklore

The traces of the past have been preserved intact, especially in those areas less exposed to outside influences: the mountain villages, for example, and some more isolated towns, still live – in certain periods – parties, festivals and events originated many centuries ago but not forgotten. But even in the most modern centres, more exposed to the influences of other people, families still keep small superstitions that accompany the life of every Calabrian.

Festivals

In early August in Spilinga there is the festival of 'nduja, a typical spicy salami from Calabria. The “sagra” is enriched by many folklore perfomances, such as the giant papier-mâché dance. It’s an ancient tradition stillalive in some villages whichcomes from the Saracenor Aragonese dominations.The male giant, a negro, is a Turkish prince and the femaleone is a Sicilian girl. Accordingto the legend they fell in love when he became a christian: thisdance symbolizes our freedomfrom dominations

The first Sunday of July in Calabria there is a Festival of swordfish, with fish tasting and the exposition of the famous “Spatara”, the boat once used for the fishing. There is something legendary in the fishing of this noble fish and lots of our songs celebrate its faithfulness to its female.

Pasta

The pasta is always present on our tables. It is certain the Greek origin of laganoi, the wide fettuccine loved in the Sibari area. An old tradition said that a woman was not worthy to marry if she wasn’t able to make, at least, 15 different kinds of pasta. On wrapping the dough on an iron, called "firrittu" you can produce "fusilli" , "maccaruni", "filatieddi", "canneroni", "riccidi donna", "sciliatelli ", "schiaffettoni. A traditional dish is the "pasta chijna", made from sheets of handmade pasta (lasagna) alternated with tomato or meat sauce with fried meatballs, sliced hard-boiled eggs, spicy salami and soppressata, caciocavallo and pecorino cheese and baked.

MeatAmong all kinds of meat, pork is certainly the most widely used, especially in winter, as a main dish: it gives excellent salami. In the past, the killing of the pig was a popular festival, governed by a precise, complex ritual: there were huge banquets, where family and friends used to meet. The intestines of the pig were brought on the table, in order to predict the future.

FishCoastal areas make extensive use of fish cooked in various ways, often roasted accompanied by "salmoriglio", a sauce with olive oil, vinegar or lemon, garlic, and spices; tuna is flavoured with onions, the red onion of Tropea, particularly sweet, an heritage left by the Foenicians. Among all the fish recipes, the most original is the "mestica" (probably from Arabs ) ,or "caviar of the poor", where baby anchovies are united with red chilli in oil and soaked in a very spicy sauce . Mustica can be preserved almost indefinitely

SILAParticularly interesting from the gastronomic point of view, the mountainous Sila region that looks like a piece of Switzerland transplanted in the midst of the Mediterranean. The "sillu" or porcino, often used in the local timbales of rice, is really appreciated and expensive so that you can find it in the markets of the rich Milan but not in Calabria. The end of summer is the ideal time for the "vavusi“, usually fried , but the most well-known of mushrooms is the Lactarius deliciosus, (Latin for delicious milky )called "rosito", due to its rosy pink colour.

The Sila area is famous for its sausages, trout and cheese. In summer, shepherds bring their herd to graze in Sila because of the drought of the marine areas: this seasonal migration is called “transumanza”. So, the dairy products are of particular interest: pecorini, caciocavalli, provole, "piticelle" (mozzarella with butter inside) and the typical “butirro”, a caciocavallo cheese with a butter's soul. Among all the Calabriancheese, made from sheep's milk, the best known is the fresh ricotta in "fasceddhe" (wicker) and smoked .

VegetablesThe chilli, probably introduced in our land by Saracens, found in Calabria an ideal habitat for growth and it’s one of the fundamental components of our recipes, just like the aubergine, introduced in Europe by Arabs, before in Spain and then in Italy. For many years it formed the basis of culinary traditions of southern populations while in the north of Italy, until a few decades ago, it was virtually non-existent. Many people even believed that aubergine was unhealthy because the Italian name , “Melanzana”, derives from "maluminsanum", that is the fruit that predisposes to madness!Thanks to our climate almost all vegetables are sun-dried ( tomatoes, courgettes…) and then preserved for winter.

FruitWe have lots of IGP products: Clementine, a particular cross between mandarin and orange but without seeds, chestnuts, liquoriceand figs, which, particularly in the Cosenza region , are covered with chocolate or prepared with almonds and walnuts in order to obtain the "crosses" or the "balloon".

DessertTypical regional sweet, often linked to specific ceremonies are mostly dry or with ricotta, sweetened with honey and flavoured or fig honey and candied or dried fruit. The best known are the mostaccioli, reproducing various forms and sold in our fairs; the "cuzzupe, and "nepitelle" typical for Easter, the "pittampigliata” and" chinulille “for Christmas and the "pignolata“ for Carnival. The “Varchiglia" (little boat) is a typical dessert of Cosenza : it was prepared by the nuns, the barefoot carmelites, and dates from 1300.

Wine A lot of Calabrian wine are DOC or IGP: their quality derives from the particular characteristics of indigenous grapes, cultivated in different areas. One of the best is Cirò . The wine Greco of Bianco takes its name by the homonymous place near Reggio Calabria and is particularly appreciated even by queen Elisabeth II.At the end of a meal, we usually drink a bergamot liqueur , an extraordinary and precious fruit, exclusive of Calabria . The liqueur is also produced by cedar, a tree only grown on the Tyrrhenian coast, in the province of Cosenza, as well as the famous "limoncello" done with lemons.

Pasquale Dodaro and II C

Teachers: Gilda Santelli and Rosa Iachetta