Thousands of recipes, videos and testimonials from all over the world have been submitted to “Mammamiaaa,” one of the events curated by Matera, the 2019 European Capital of Culture, to celebrate homestyle cuisine—dishes brought to the table every day. At the end of the year, the city will have amassed a treasure trove: to publish, to appreciate, to experiment with and to share. Curiosities, exoticisms and, above all, recipes from Materan women, who have revealed the secrets of one of Italy’s most flavorful yet lesser-known cuisines: mushroom casseroles, snails al sugo, ash-roasted sausages, orecchiette al tegamino (a baked pasta) and fried lampascioni onions.
Taking pride of place is lamb, sacrificed solely on important days and holy days. Each part of the animal is honored with a special preparation that attests to the frugality and resourcefulness of the Materans, people who for years dined on broth made from water and salt. Accordingly, Easter sees the luxury of lamb’s head baked with breadcrumbs and the main event, cazzomarro (cazz’marr in the local dialect, lamb offal held together by its stomach lining and tied with intestine.
True, it’s not a dish for everyone as it takes a certain palate to brave it. It’s also difficult to find if you’re not invited to a Materan home with an Italian grandmother who knows the recipe and wants to get her hands dirty. We visited Luisa Di Cuia, a sweet and cultured woman known in the city as one of the few who, after 54 years of marriage, continues to spoil her husband by often cooking this age-old specialty for him, which requires a full day of hard work. No big deal for her, because with a set of twins and a son—all with a hefty appetite—she has always made two meals a day, despite her tight schedule working as a regional official. “But ever since I was a girl, I always allowed myself small freedoms such as a cup of coffee at a café and a cigarette, which seemed so bold back then.”
When it comes to preparing the marro, everyone pitches in: her husband, daughter, son-in-law, her foodie friend who gave us the tip on who could make it and, naturally our photographer and me. If you want to taste a real, authentic version, make a reservation at Da Nico restaurant. After having tasted it, we can wholeheartedly confirm that it’s worth the trip.
Marro, the typical recipe
Easter in Basilicata: the main course features a roast with a side of crisp potatoes; except in this case, the “meat” is actually made up of lamb innards.
Make sure to ask your butcher well in advance for the caul fat, intestine, and innards—liver, heart, spleen, lung, and sweetbread—calculating about two pounds for six people. Also ask him to clean everything for you, a long and meticulous process that must be done under running water until every part is perfectly clean. Otherwise, you’ll have to do everything at home, with a final cleaning in water and lemon.
Cut the innards into small strips, lay the caul fat out on a tabletop and cover the center with the innards, alternating and overlapping the strips but leaving enough space on all sides to roll it up into a bundle.
On the side, chop up some garlic and spicy salami. Sprinkle this mixture on top of the innards, adding plenty of parsley and grated Pecorino cheese. Season with chili and black pepper.
Fold up the caul fat, secure it tightly with the intestine, working it into the shape of an oven roast. Sprinkle on more black pepper and Pecorino.
Set the oven to high heat, place the marro on a baking tray greased with oil. Surround it with chopped potatoes, and bake for about an hour.
Photos by Giacomo Bretzel