AMALFI COAST - FOOD
Lemons, fresh fish, soft cheeses and pastries are the culinary delights of this beautiful region.
The Amalfi Coast tantalizes its visitors with its gorgeous panoramas and intense blue seas, but also with the flavors of its traditional local gastronomy. Each town and village features typical specialties from the local products. It is a cuisine abundant in fish, seafood and fruit and vegetables ripened by the Mediterranean sun; but also with protein-packed delicacies produced in the Lattari mountains.
It`s basic, no-nonsense fare on the Neapolitan Riviera. This expanse of coastline is actually responsible for some of Italy`s most famous, and arguably best, dishes. As the name suggests, the `napolitana` (tomato and basil) pasta sauce was born here as was the margherita pizza. The plain Jane of the pizza world proves that it`s the simple things in life that are the best. Restaurants are plentiful on the Neapolitan Riviera so your best bet is to lose yourself in the backstreets. Whatever you choose to dine on, just remember to save room for dessert. The ice cream here is irresistible!
Lemons
Lemons are as much part of the landscape of this region as the precipitous, cliff edge terraces on which they grow. These magnificent golden fruits are used in many local recipes, from the world famous limoncello and delizie al limone to lesser known delicacies like ricotta filled ravioli sprinkled with grated lemon peel and mozzarella, smoked between lemon leaves. When not on your plate or in your glass, you`ll find the Amalfi Coast`s much-loved citrus fruit on souvenir merchandise and in a vast array of perfumes, face creams and soaps.
Seafood
The Amalfi Coast boasts some of the world`s finest fish cuisine. Shrimps, redfish, pezzogne, bream, sea urchins, octopus, blue fish and mollusks are the main characters of unforgettable recipes such as `scialatielli ai frutti di mare,` a dish made with sea food and the fresh pasta typical of the Amalfi Coast. And the simple, yet divine, anchovy is used to make Cetara`s extraordinary Colatura di Alici, a modern version of the ancient Roman `garum.`
In the fishing village of Cetara, preparation of the Colatura commences on March 25th with the Festa of the Annunziata and concludes in late July. In spring, the heads and bones of caught anchovies are removed and the remainder left in salted water for 24 hours. After this first salting, they are placed in wooden casks, and pressed between layers of salt. The liquid created by the pressing is filtered into glass jars and exposed to the sun in order to obtain its characteristic amber color and intense aroma. After a few months, the liquid is finally bottled. The result is a concentration of the sea, just a few drops of which are sufficient to transform the most simple of pasta dishes in an explosion of flavor.
Cheese
The Monti Lattari forms the backbone of the Sorrentine peninsula between the provinces of Naples and Salerno. The mountains were given their name by the Ancient Romans because of the large number of cows and goats reared in the area. This is the other side of the Amalfi Coast, where a number of small, family-run dairies continue the areas cheese making tradition. The ricotta, fiordilatte and provola cheeses produced in the mountain towns are laced with the scent of herbs. Fresh ricotta is one of the principal ingredients in `ndunderi,` a type of gnocchi declared by UNESCO to be one of the oldest pastas in the world. It is an exquisite delicacy best enjoyed in one of the traditional trattorias in its birth town of Minori. Cheese lovers will want to taste the Provolone del Monaco, also called mantello, or coat, because of its shape, which is similar to that of the coat used by the dairymen to protect them from the cold while transporting their goods to Naples.
Tomatoes
Thanks to the sun, this region boasts the juiciest and tastiest tomatoes in the world, which flavor its many local dishes as well as its famous pizza and calzone. The pizza maker who created a tri-color pizza with tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, became a legend; this pizza still survives with the traditional name of pizza Margherita. Among the typical culinary delights are pizza, Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (gnocchi with mozzarella and tomato sauce au gratin), buffalo mozzarella, which is made into braids, the pear-shaped cheese Provolone del Monaco, and handmade ice cream in numerous flavors.
Wine
This land, bathed by sun and sea, boasts its own excellent and internationally appreciated wines. A wide range of high quality red wines with bold flavor are all for the tasting. Lovers of the `blood of Bacchus` can follow the Wine Routes to experience nature, tradition and the best of all that is oenological.
The Amalfi Coast tantalizes its visitors with its gorgeous panoramas and intense blue seas, but also with the flavors of its traditional local gastronomy. Each town and village features typical specialties from the local products. It is a cuisine abundant in fish, seafood and fruit and vegetables ripened by the Mediterranean sun; but also with protein-packed delicacies produced in the Lattari mountains.
It`s basic, no-nonsense fare on the Neapolitan Riviera. This expanse of coastline is actually responsible for some of Italy`s most famous, and arguably best, dishes. As the name suggests, the `napolitana` (tomato and basil) pasta sauce was born here as was the margherita pizza. The plain Jane of the pizza world proves that it`s the simple things in life that are the best. Restaurants are plentiful on the Neapolitan Riviera so your best bet is to lose yourself in the backstreets. Whatever you choose to dine on, just remember to save room for dessert. The ice cream here is irresistible!
Lemons
Lemons are as much part of the landscape of this region as the precipitous, cliff edge terraces on which they grow. These magnificent golden fruits are used in many local recipes, from the world famous limoncello and delizie al limone to lesser known delicacies like ricotta filled ravioli sprinkled with grated lemon peel and mozzarella, smoked between lemon leaves. When not on your plate or in your glass, you`ll find the Amalfi Coast`s much-loved citrus fruit on souvenir merchandise and in a vast array of perfumes, face creams and soaps.
Seafood
The Amalfi Coast boasts some of the world`s finest fish cuisine. Shrimps, redfish, pezzogne, bream, sea urchins, octopus, blue fish and mollusks are the main characters of unforgettable recipes such as `scialatielli ai frutti di mare,` a dish made with sea food and the fresh pasta typical of the Amalfi Coast. And the simple, yet divine, anchovy is used to make Cetara`s extraordinary Colatura di Alici, a modern version of the ancient Roman `garum.`
In the fishing village of Cetara, preparation of the Colatura commences on March 25th with the Festa of the Annunziata and concludes in late July. In spring, the heads and bones of caught anchovies are removed and the remainder left in salted water for 24 hours. After this first salting, they are placed in wooden casks, and pressed between layers of salt. The liquid created by the pressing is filtered into glass jars and exposed to the sun in order to obtain its characteristic amber color and intense aroma. After a few months, the liquid is finally bottled. The result is a concentration of the sea, just a few drops of which are sufficient to transform the most simple of pasta dishes in an explosion of flavor.
Cheese
The Monti Lattari forms the backbone of the Sorrentine peninsula between the provinces of Naples and Salerno. The mountains were given their name by the Ancient Romans because of the large number of cows and goats reared in the area. This is the other side of the Amalfi Coast, where a number of small, family-run dairies continue the areas cheese making tradition. The ricotta, fiordilatte and provola cheeses produced in the mountain towns are laced with the scent of herbs. Fresh ricotta is one of the principal ingredients in `ndunderi,` a type of gnocchi declared by UNESCO to be one of the oldest pastas in the world. It is an exquisite delicacy best enjoyed in one of the traditional trattorias in its birth town of Minori. Cheese lovers will want to taste the Provolone del Monaco, also called mantello, or coat, because of its shape, which is similar to that of the coat used by the dairymen to protect them from the cold while transporting their goods to Naples.
Tomatoes
Thanks to the sun, this region boasts the juiciest and tastiest tomatoes in the world, which flavor its many local dishes as well as its famous pizza and calzone. The pizza maker who created a tri-color pizza with tomato, mozzarella cheese and basil in honor of Queen Margherita of Savoy, became a legend; this pizza still survives with the traditional name of pizza Margherita. Among the typical culinary delights are pizza, Gnocchi alla Sorrentina (gnocchi with mozzarella and tomato sauce au gratin), buffalo mozzarella, which is made into braids, the pear-shaped cheese Provolone del Monaco, and handmade ice cream in numerous flavors.
Wine
This land, bathed by sun and sea, boasts its own excellent and internationally appreciated wines. A wide range of high quality red wines with bold flavor are all for the tasting. Lovers of the `blood of Bacchus` can follow the Wine Routes to experience nature, tradition and the best of all that is oenological.