The typical dishes of the Campania region: not just pizza!

With a thousand-year history of domination and cultural contamination, Campania gastronomy fully expresses the creativity and identity of its people. From the Greeks to the Romans, from the Arab to the Spanish domination, passing through the peasant traditions of its hinterland, Campania gastronomy skilfully mixes ancient knowledge and traditions, giving life to a mix of perfumes, colors and flavors that contain the essence of the Mediterranean . So let's start our journey to discover the most famous dishes of Campania cuisine.

His majesty the pizza

Symbol of Italy in the world, the real pizza is only the Neapolitan one. Born in the seventeenth century from the need to make the bread more tasty and appetizing, the pizza as we know it today, soft and with a high edge, was officially born in 1889 on the occasion of the visit of King Umberto and Queen Margherita to Naples. According to tradition, the pizza maker Raffaele Esposito dedicated his new creation to the sovereigns: the Margherita pizza that he remembered with the red of the tomato, the white of the mozzarella and the green of the basil the Italian flag. Thus was born the best known and most appreciated pizza in the world.

Mozzarella
White, shiny, juicy mozzarella with its fresh flavor and an intense taste of cream will envelop your palate in a feeling of total satisfaction. Of very ancient origins, mozzarella is typical of the provinces of Caserta and Salerno even if in the collective imagination it identifies Naples. Delicious and gooey on pizza, it can be eaten as an appetizer or main course enriched with a tomato salad, or enjoyed as the main ingredient on the classic "fresella". In any case, mozzarella is a delight that will transport you to an unprecedented sensory taste experience.

The Pastiera and the confectionary art of Campania

In Naples there is no Easter without pastiera! This cake made with a crunchy shortcrust pastry base and a soft filling of ricotta, wheat, sugar and candied fruit inebriates the houses and alleys of the city with its scent of orange blossom and cinnamon. And if the pastiera is the symbol of Easter par excellence, in the top ten Campania confectionary art we remember the babà, the struffoli, the caprese cake and the inevitable sfogliatella, which in its variations has always brought with it the unsolved dilemma: curly, shortcrust or Santa Rosa?

The limoncello
An inevitable end of a meal of the Campania gastronomic tradition, limoncello needs no introduction. Obtained from the rinds of Sorrento lemons, to enhance its taste it must be served strictly frozen. Its citrus aroma releases the intensity of the perfumes, light and colors of the Amalfi coast. Even if its diffusion started from the beginning of the twentieth century, it seems that the liqueur has very ancient origins and that it was already used in the Middle Ages by farmers and fishermen to combat the cold.

Taralli lard and pepper
Taralli suet and pepper accompanied by a fresh beer are a classic of Campania street food. Born to feed the poor who even soaked them in sea water, today they are recognized and included in the list of traditional agri-food products.