The Southern Italian Larder

Appears in
Antonio Carluccio's Southern Italian Feast: More Than 100 Recipes Inspired by the Flavour of Southern Italy
Antonio Carluccio's Southern Italian Feast

By Antonio Carluccio

Published 1998

  • About
The culinary scene in the South is totally different from that of the North and the larder may look a little meagre in comparison. This is partly because of the very nature of the South - all that sun and almost year-round fresh fruit and vegetables - and partly because of the way of life. Most cooking ingredients are bought fresh on a daily basis, only occasionally ending up as leftovers for the next day.

Nevertheless, there are several staple ingredients that can be kept in stock at home, relatively safe from the torrid heat of summer. In winter some items are stored in that ideal natural fridge, the balcony. Southern Italians are very fond of their balcony, where in a netted box they keep anything from cheese and preserved meats to pomodorini and salted anchovies - not to mention dishes such as soffritto alla Napoletana, a base for sauces and stews which is made in large batches and then kept in a block (solidified by the cold) to be used a little at a time. The dispensa, or storecupboard, next to the kitchen usually combines a broom cupboard with the food storage rack. Some items, especially preserves and bottles of wine for special occasions, are kept in the cellar if there is one.