The Food of Calabria

It is not for nothing that Italy has become one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world. With an enchanting landscape, fascinating (and bloody) history and the perfect holiday climate, Italy has something for everyone. But one other thing about Italy holds powerful sway in the imaginations of travellers - its food.

Unfortunately, the pressure to provide pasta and pizza in formats that tourists will recognise and eat now means that in many of the big cities you will struggle to find authentic Italian food. As a result, some of the country's famed regional diversity is becoming diluted.

Away from the big tourist meccas however, the country still retains an astonishing diversity in its approach to food. And nowhere does that hold true more than the Calabria region.

Pasta & Polenta

Calabria is surrounded by a rugged coastline and has a centuries-old tradition of fishing. Despite the abundance of seafood however, Calabrians still favour a diet a simple pastas, vegetables and meat - especially pork. Although the Italian devotion to pasta is well known, in Calabria it is practically a religion. Every city or town has their own pasta speciality with an almost instinctive sense of exactly the right sauce.

One of the regions most famed dishes is 'homestyle' lasagne - in which the traditional lasagne sheets are replaced with layers of delicate egg noodles, interspersed with Mozarella and tiny meatballs. Typical of the Calabrian style is oricchiette con cima - a simple pasta of broccoli and greens, or spaghetti alle vongole - a spaghetti dish based on a white sauce and using the marvellous, sweet clams that populate the local bays.

As well as pasta, polenta is another regional staple. One traditional favourite - Polenta Verde Calabrese is simplicity itself. Polenta, dried red pepper flakes and cheese are melted together and served with grilled sausages and crusty bread.

Pork and Spices

Pork is by far and away the most popular meat in the region. Historically, Calabria was one of the poorer regions of Italy, and this has led to a heritage in which every part of the pig is used. Aside from obvious uses - such as sausages and past sauce - the Calabrians will often spit-roast whole pigs. One thing that makes Calabrian food stand slightly apart from the rest of Italy is the heavy use of black pepper and peperoncini (a kind of chilli unique to the region that is grown principally by one local farmer).

Many dishes associated with the region are more fiery than most people would imagine from typical Italian cooking.

Seafood

Simplicity is at the heart of the Calabrian approach to seafood. The delicate flavours of the sea are preserved by light seasoning and flavouring - really allowing the excellence of the seafood to speak for itself. Fish is often grilled whole or simply fried or roasted. Dried cod (Bacala) is another important seafood staple that has been around since Roman times, when there was no easy way to transport seafood inland without refrigeration. Seafood Salad is a recipe that is popular in Calabria every Christmas Eve, although it would be a nice start to any meal year round.

For more recipes from the region, we recommend visiting Italianfoodforever.com