Campania Regional Meal
Monthly column by Rosa D'Ancona - October 1, 2007
Sapori e saperi (flavors and know-how): one can say that this is the mix which makes the Campania cuisine one of the richest and most varied in the Italian food panorama.
With Phoenician, Greek, Arabic and French influences, the cuisine of this region has always prized innovation while traditionally focusing on the flavor of locally grown ingredients. This results in rich, imaginative recipes served alongside side to poorer, yet equally intriguing ones.
The fertility of this region offers a great variety of legumes, vegetables, fruits, olive oil, and wine. In addition, sheep and cow breeding provides meat, cold cuts and excellent cheeses.
First of all there is the world famous mozzarella di bufala (mozzarella cheese made with buffalo milk – a delicious melting cheese made with whole milk and immersed in either cream or liquid generated during the cheese transformation to keep it fresher). On the cold cut side we find smoked soppressata, buffalo salami, and the sweet Napoli sausage, made with pork meat without the addition of artificial preservatives.
Seafood is the main ingredient for regional main courses, with great fish soups and stews, as well as many other recipes.
We mustn't forget the various types of handmade pastas preserved in olive oil, pizza, known worldwide as an American staple, but which has its roots here and which was already appreciated by the Romans, as well as the citrus fruits, widely used in pastry making as well as the preparation of attractive liqueurs, such as the famous Limoncello (lemon based liqueur).
The excellent regional wines match all the local recipes perfectly. It is worthwhile to remember that this region was one of the first in Italy to widely cultivate vines and produce wine. In fact, the wines known as the (Roman) Emperor wines, such as Falerno, Greco, and Caleno, come from Campania.
The menu proposed this month was created by Chef Alfonso Iaccarino, owner of the restaurant Don Alfonso, who focused on three main factors in selecting the recipes: fresh Mediterranean-grown produce, innovation, and absolute quality of the ingredients. In effect, most fresh produce and ingredients used in the kitchen of the Don Alfonso restaurant come from Le Peracciole farm, owned by Iaccarino himself, which in addition produce a superior quality extra virgin olive oil as well.
In the cellar of the restaurant, located at number 11 Corso Sant'Agata, in Sant'Agata sui due Golfi, in the province of Naples, which was dug 25 meters (82 feet) deep into volcanic rock, Iaccarino keeps some of the best world-class wines.
Hors d'oeuvres |
|
Anatra all'anice stellato con frittelle di mele e salsa di aleatico
(Star Anise Flavored Duck with Apple Fritters and Aleatico Wine Sauce) |
| Ingredients: |
 |
- 600 gr (1.32 pound) male duck brest
- 20 gr (0.7 oz.) rosemary
- 20 gr (0.7 oz.) thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 10 gr (0.35 oz.) marjoram
- 10 gr (0.35 oz.) green pepper
- 7 cl (2 Tbs) extra virgin olive oil
- 4 apples
- 400 gr (0.88 pound) duck sauce (fondo di anatra, obtained by cooking the duck)
- 60 gr (2.11 oz.) Aleatico wine sauce (obtained by boiling the wine)
- 10 gr (0.35 oz) star anise
- 5 gr (0.175 oz) lavender
- 100 gr (3.52 oz.) pastella (frying coat)
- 50 gr (1.76 egg white)
- Salt to taste
|
Preparation: |
- Thoroughly clean duck breast removing any feather roots.
- Put duck breast in a vacuum wrapper with aromatic herbs, half star anis, 5 gr (0.17 oz) green pepper, salt and extra virgin olive oil.
- Seal the vacuum wrapper and cook for 5 hours at 55° - 60° C. (131° - 140 ° F.) (*).
- Reduce the fondo di anatra with the remaining star anise and green pepper.
- Cook 3 apples in a pan without adding other ingredients and puree them.
- Prepare the pastella mixing 100 gr (3.52 oz) durum flour with water and whipped white egg.
- Slice the other apple into sections and fry after dipping in the pastella.
- On serving plate create a layer with hot apple puree and decorate sides with apple fritters.
- Slice duck breast and warm up a bit.
- Lay sliced breast atop apple puree and season with duck and wine reduction sauces.
|
| (*) Notes: |
|
| This dish can be served for up to 36 hours maximum. By cooking at 55° - 60°C. (131° - 140 ° F.), the ingredients lose much of their self-preserving qualities and are more easily attacked by bacteria. |
Wine: |
|
- Pozzillo - Lingue e Femmene (passito wine made with Nero di Troia grapes by Azienda Masseria Parisi in Benevento.
|
First Course |
|
Vesuvio di rigatoni (Rigatoni Pasta Volcano) |
|
| Ingredients: |
(**) Tomato Seasoning |
- 260 gr (0.67 pound) rigatoni pasta
- 50 gr (1.76 oz) green peas
- 250 gr (8.8 oz) mozzarella cheese
- 200 gr (7 oz) tomato seasoning (**)
- 60 gr (2.12 oz) ground pork meat
- 30 gr (1.06 oz) breadcrumb
- 60 gr (2.12 oz) milk
- 50 basil leafs
- 50 gr (1.76 oz) extra virgin olive oil
- 15 gr (0.53 oz) onion
- 2 eggs
- salt to taste
|
- 140 gr (4.76 oz) pork loin
- 140 gr (4.76 oz) pork ribs
- 2 slices bread (home made style)
- 0.7 cl (1.5 Tbs) aged red wine vinegar
- 2 clove garlic
- 15 gr (0.5 oz) chopped parsley
- 30 gr (1 oz) pine nuts
- 30 gr (1 oz) currant
- 40 gr (1.4 oz) onion
- 0,7 cl (1.5 Tbs) extra virgin olive oil
- 0,7 cl (1.5 Tbs) white wine
- 135 gr (4.76 oz) tomato sauce
- salt to taste
|
Preparation: |
|
- Tomato Seasoning
- Pound pork loin until it's around 3 mm (0.11 inches).
- Wrap currant, pine nuts, chopped parsley and garlic, and a pinch of salt to pork loin slices.
- Tie the meat rolls with thread.
- Dip bread slices in vinegar, squeeze lightly and brown in extra virgin olive oil. (***)
- Take out bread and brown ribs, pork rolls and one whole onion in the same pan.
- Take onion off the pan as soon as it browns lightly.
- Add San Marzano tomato sauce and simmer for about 1hour and 15 minutes.
- Rigatoni
Pasta
- Prepare small balls with breadcrumbs, milk, one egg, salt and pepper.
- Brown them in extra virgin olive oil.
- Dip 30 basil leafs in boiling water then grind with a little olive oil then pass through a sieve.
- Warm 40gr (1.41 oz) milk.
- Add 70gr (2.47 oz) mozzarella cheese chopped finely and cook in double boiler.
- Grind and pass through a sieve.
- Saute green peas and brown, finely chopped onion.
- Finely chop remaining mozzarella cheese.
- Boil egg for 7 minutes.
- Cook rigatoni pasta for 3 minutes, then drain and coat with tomato seasoning and half basil.
- In a tall foil container about 8 cm (3.15 inches) tall, assemble maccheroni, chopped mozzarella cheese, green peas, egg, breadcrumb balls and basil. (****)
- Bake in oven at 160° C. (320° F.) for 14 minutes.
- Put on serving plate and add the rest of the seasoning, sauce, mozzarella cheese and basil.
- Decorate with basil leaves and drizzle with a thread of extra virgin olive oil.
|
| Notes: |
|
(***) The slices of fried bread are extra tasty. In the past, young people played "la conta", often cheating, to decide who would get the fried slices.
(****) We suggest starting with a layer of mozzarella for base and a layer at the top, to help hold everything together. |
The wine: |
|
|
Second Course |
Acqua pazza di scorfano con zucchine, melanzane e peperoni
(Scorpion fish Crazy Water with Zucchini, Eggplants and Bell Peppers) |
Ingredients: |
- 320 gr (0.7 pound) scorpion fish
- 60 gr (2.12 oz) eggplant
- 80 gr (2,82 oz) chopped onion
- 60 gr (2.12 oz) bell pepper
- 60 gr (2.12 oz) zucchini
- 20 gr (0.7 oz) nettle bread
- 0,4 cl (1 Tbs) extra virgin olive oil
- 200 gr (7.05 oz) cherry tomatoes
- 4 parsley sprig
- salt to taste
|
Preparation: |
- Brown onion in oil.
- Add cherry tomatoes sliced in four and stew for about 5 minuets.
- Add scorpion fish filet and cook a few minutes.
- Separately saute zucchini, bell pepper and eggplant sliced brunoise style (*****).
- Serve on low plate laying the filet over a slice of nettle bread.
- Add vegetable brunoise di verdure, cooking sauce and a basil leaf.
- Drizzle with a tread of extra virgin olive oil.
|
| Notes: |
|
| (*****) Vegetables sliced in small cubes, not more than a couple of millimeter wide (0.078 inches). |
The Wine : |
|
|
Dessert |
|
Sfogliatella napoletana con salsa alle amarene
(Neapolitan Sfogliatella pastry with Black Cherry Sauce) |
|
| Ingredients: |
For the cream filling: |
- 30 gr (1 oz) lard
- 250 gr (7 oz) filo dough
- 120 gr (4.23 oz) black cherries
- 400 gr (14.1 oz) cream filling
- 80 gr (2.82 oz) black cherry sauce
- 5 gr (o.17 oz) cinnamon
|
- 3 dl (1 cup) milk
- 4 egg yolk
- 75 gr (2.65 oz) sugar
- 30 gr (1.06 oz) durum flour
- 6 gr (0.21 oz) potato starch
|
Preparation: |
|
- Cream filling:
- In a casserole mix eggs, sugar, flour and potato starch thoroughly until smooth and clot free.
- Add milk, pouring slowly while mixing continuously.
- Bring to boil stirring continuously.
- Take off fire after a few instants, transfer to a bowl and let cool.
- Sfogliatelle
- Brush filo dough sheets with lard and wrap into a cylinder about 10 cm (3.93 inches) in diameter.
- Slice rings around 1 centimeter (0.39 inches) tall.
- Pushing delicately in the middle open the ring into a spiral.
- Insert black cherries at the bottom of spirals, fill with filling cream and pinch closed at widest part.
- Bake in oven at 180° C. (356° F) for about 15 minutes.
- Serve two sfogliatelle per person, garnish with cream filling at the wide end, add black cherries.
- Decorate plates with black cherry sauce.
|
| The wine: |
|
|
Buon Appetito! |
