Culinary Traditions & Specialities

Appears in
Antonio Carluccio's Italia
Antonio Carluccio's Italia

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 2005

  • About
Like all of the other southern regions of Italy, Calabria’s traditions and culinary specialities have been formulated by location and weather, by geography, and by the incursion of different cultures. Because of its Mediterranean climate and mild winters, it is a major area of fruit and vegetable cultivation. Because of its long coastlines, seafood is an important ingredient in the cuisine. And because of the proximity of Sicily, there are many similarities in dishes and in ingredients.

As in Basilicata, many households still keep a pig for their own use, and the annual slaughter calls for a big celebration. A norcino (pork butcher) is called in to do his business, then neighbours and friends are invited round for a pork feast. The rest of the animal is preserved as salami, etc. Involtini, ‘little parcels’, are made from offal of pork (and sometimes kid and lamb), and tied together with a piece of gut before being grilled. Here in Calabria these are known as gnunerieddi or gnunerielli. Pork offal even forms the basis of a breakfast dish in this region. Murseddu (or morseddhu) consists of pork tripe and other offal slowly cooked in red wine, and then served in a pocket of bread, a pitta (the Greek influence). This was once served in trattorie along with a glass of wine - a fine way to start the day - but nowadays you’d be more likely to have a brioche and a cappuccino...