Home to Naples, Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Procida, Mount Vesuvius, the Royal Palace of Caserta, and Franco Pepe, Campania undoubtedly exemplifies Italy at its most romantic.
In addition to everything to see and do, the territory serves as the backdrop for some of Italy’s finest, most beloved ingredients. Some you can find in the U.S., others, you can keep an eye out for the next time you’re in Italy. Here’s a look at seven of the most quintessential to get you stoked for your next trip and/or guide you in recreating a taste of Campania at home.
Provolone del Monaco DOP
Made from the milk of Agerola cows, Provolone del Monaco owes its name to the coats, which resembled monks’ robes, worn by shepherds. They’d depart from their pastures early in the morning to set up shop in Naples, and they bundled up to protect themselves from the cold while they journeyed. Spicy and pungent flavor, the cheese is shaped like a slightly elongated melon. It’s semi-hard pasta fila and a seasoning ranging from six to eighteen months. If aged for a long time, it is also excellent for grating. It’s also used in spaghetti alla nerano.
San Marzano DOP Tomatoes
These exemplary tomatoes have a compact, fleshy pulp containing a small amount of water and just a few seeds, which makes them easy to peel and optimal for preserves. Nicknamed the red gold of Campania, San Marzano tomatoes grow on the fertile volcanic soils of the Nocera-Sarnese countryside.
Sfusato Limone di Amalfi IGP
The sfusato, or tapered lemon is grown on the terraces of the Amalfi Coast. It has an essential oil-rich rind, a few seeds, and a juicy, moderately acidic pulp with a flavor so pleasant that it’s used in salads. It’s the lemon of choice for limoncello and the delizia al limone dessert.
Colatura di Alici from Cetara
This amber-colored liquid sauce has been made for centuries, prepared by pressing fresh anchovies in salt. The laborious process lasts a few months. Traditionally, colatura di alici is used to season spaghetti, but it’s also excellent for flavoring fish and vegetable dishes.
Melannurca Campana
The "queen of apples" has a rounded and slightly flattened shape. Its white pulp is crunchy, compact, juicy, and acidulous. The apples are usually harvested unripe and left to ripen in the sun until they turn yellow-green. They’re consumed before they turn red, usually raw, but they’re also excellent for preparing jams, juices, and liqueurs.
Buffalo Mozzarella
This world-renowned Campania product is nicknamed "white gold" and "pearl of the table." It’s produced with fresh whole milk of Italian Mediterranean buffalo and can have various shapes — round, braided, in morsels — and can weigh anywhere from 20 to 800 gams (¾ oz. to 1 ¾ lb.). It’s smooth, ivory white in color, and features an elastic texture and a fresh, delicate flavor. It’s enjoyed in salads with tomatoes, on pizza, and in some pasta preparations, and also tastes exceptional on a crostone topped with anchovies. The smoked version is also delicious.
Hazelnuts of Giffoni
Piedmontese hazelnuts aren’t Italy’s only excellent variety. Those belonging to the Campania Giffoni variety are rounded, fragrant, sweet, and flavorful. Campania production has been renowned since ancient times, so much so that local hazelnuts have been mentioned by Pliny the Elder, Cato, and Virgil. They’re even depicted on a fresco in the Herculaneum Archaeological Park.
Main Picture: photo credit Sabrina Rossi