Minestrone is a staple of cucina povera. It has existed in one form or another since Roman times. This is the Neapolitan version and it always contains a base of tomatoes and potatoes, which, despite their being fundamental today, were only introduced in the mid-16th century.
Napoli
Neapolitan Classics: Vegan Baked Zeppole
Wales has St. David; England St. George; Scotland St. Andrew and Italy has a lot of other saints. One in particular stands out. On 19 March, Italians celebrate the feast day of St. Joseph and it is also Father’s Day. In Naples, we tend to celebrate events and feast days with pastries (ok and all…
Neapolitan Classics: Sweet and Sour Stuffed Peppers
Peperoni imbottiti… Stuffed peppers. My Mum made them very often for us. The combination of sweet and sour or agrodolce is one of the hallmarks in the flavour pantheon of Neapolitan food. These are very simple to make and may be a main or a side dish. This is my rendition, with tweaks and adaptations, of…
Neapolitan Classics: Smokey Lentil and Kale Soup
A hearty lentil soup is good anytime. It’s probably one of my favourite dishes. Neapolitans are big fans of lentils and this soup is something my Mum makes at least once a week. There is an easy and kind way to achieve umami – that smokey, meaty flavour: use a few shiitake mushrooms and some…
Pasta e Zucca: Easy Pumpkin Pasta
I love the colour orange. I have to restrain myself from buying orange coloured clothing. It’s a problem. I know. During Autumn, I can buy all sorts of orange foods and that makes me extremely happy. And the best one to buy is pumpkin, also known as winter squash. One of my favourite dishes as…
Neapolitan Classics: Freselle, Cannellini and Cherry Tomatoes Salad
What’s a fresella? Basically, it’s a type of very hard, rough, dried, whole-grain bread that you will find in all good Italian grocery shops outside of Italy and in most Italian bakeries and supermarkets in Italy (especially in Campania and Puglia). The delicious and versatile fresella (plural, le freselle) has been a staple of Southern Italian diets since at…
Neapolitan Classics: Cross-Border Sweets – Roccocò – Sticky Toffee Pudding
There’s a moment in the film The Eagle, where our Roman Centurian hero wants to cross Hadrian’s Wall into deepest, bluest Scotland. The guard warns him that “no Roman can survive north of the wall.” I can tell you that is just not true. You just need to be attired appropriately and know how to make bridges in…
Neapolitan Classics: Melanzane a Funghetto — Neapolitan Aubergine/Eggplant
I adore this dish. It is classic Naples. You will find it made at home and in restaurants all over Campania. For me, it’s the taste of home; my soul food. This is not a light dish because the aubergine/eggplant are fried. No matter, just plan your calorie intake accordingly. The flavour is full bodied…
