Italy's Culinary Traditions, Amalfi & Sorrento
Gragnano Pasta, Lemons & Limoncello, Mozzarella & Campania Cheese
Jun 3, 2009
From the Sorrento hills to the Amalfi Coast in the Campania province, the Sorrentine peninsula enjoys a strong culinary tradition dating back to the Romans. They turned the rocky terrain into fine arable land, planted orchards and vines on near vertical slopes and enjoyed bountiful produce blessed by the Mediterranean sun.
Today the area is a treat for all food lovers. Dining options range from upmarket restaurants and hotels to casual inns and remote farmhouses serving home grown produce in bucolic surroundings. Local dishes are varied but top of the list come pasta, lemons and cheese. Farmers and artisans welcome visitors and sometimes hold free demonstrations.
For budding chefs and gourmets, there are cookery courses in Ravello and week long gastronomy tours across the region.
Culinary Traditions, Gragnano Pasta Shells
Up in the hills north east of Sorrento, Gragnano claims the title of pasta capital. Wheat is turned into semolina and mixed with spring water from Monti Lattari, in a 500 year old tradition celebrated at festival time. The giant Gragnano shells are perfect for absorbing sauce and flavour. Once known as a paupers’ pasta, since only a few shells would fill the plate, it’s prized by experts and excellent with seafood and beef casserole.
On the southern side of the peninsula, Amalfi claims its own speciality pasta, the hand made Scialatiellis served with fresh tomatoes, parsley and cheese. Other favourite dishes include lobster ravioli along the coast, spaghetti with Sorrento walnuts and in Minori, lemon tagliolini and hand made ricotta pasta.
Sorrento and Amalfi Lemons, Limoncello Liqueur
Fragrant and colourful, lemon trees are an integral part of the landscape on the peninsula. They come in two main varieties, the Sorrento lemon, recognised by its oval shape, and the pointed Amalfi lemon or Sfusato, both intensely perfumed, juicy and packed with vitamin C. The lemons are harvested year round and find their way in many recipes from sea bass wrapped in lemon leaves to ice cream and cakes.
Most of the production however is set aside for the traditional limoncello liqueur which can be enjoyed straight, mixed with Champagne or tonic water for a cool refreshing drink, or drizzled on strawberries or ice cream. It’s made from lemon peel soaked in green alcohol, lime free water and sugar.
Mozzarella and Campania Cheese
Throughout Campania, cheese features on the menu, served after the main course and used in a wide variety of dishes, besides pasta. Most popular are the locally made Caciocavallo, excellent for grating, the semi-hard Provolone found all over southern Italy and the mouth watering Ricotta in cheese cake.
But Mozzarella is the true emblem of the Sorrentine peninsula, still produced traditionally in many farms. It is kneaded like bread, often twisted into a braid when it becomes a treccia, and best eaten fresh. It goes well with pizza and lasagne but is especially delicious as Insalata Caprese, when it is thinly sliced on a fresh tomato salad, seasoned with basil and olive oil.
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