“Molise doesn’t exist.” It’s a common quip among Italians. That may be because it’s less than half the size of some of the largest Italian provinces, or because the entire region has fewer inhabitants than Bari or Catania. And yet, Molise does exist, and it has a lot to say – especially from a culinary point of view. Nestled between the mountains and the sea, it boasts strong farm and pastoral traditions. But between the trabucco fishing nets and golden-sand beaches, there’s no shortage of seafood dishes. A culinary offering that ranges from mouthwatering fish broths to the most rustic pasta and bean dishes, not to mention the infinite amount of cheeses and typical salumi like ventricina.
An aperitivo in Molise with scattone
How do you start off a meal in Molise? With scattone, a typical aperitivo in the rural areas of the Molise hills. Locals say will “open up the stomach.” Basically it’s a ladleful of fresh pasta (including its cooking water), red wine, and a pinch of chili pepper. Fighting to claim ownership of this unique beverage are the towns of Poggio Sannita, Bagnoli del Trigno, and Torella del Sannio. Torella del Sannio even holds a festival dedicated to scattone in August.
Almighty pork as antipasto
Jumping to antipasto, an array of typical local salumi and cheeses is always a must. Starting with salumi, ventricina is certainly the most famous: this type of extra spicy soppressata hails specifically from the province of Campobasso, with Montenero di Bisaccia leading the pack of towns that lay claim to its origins. The delicacy is prepared with the prized parts of the pig, stuffed in a casing made of the animal’s stomach (from which it gets its name: ventre means “belly” in Italian) and seasoned with wild fennel, bell pepper powder, and black pepper. There is also no shortage of regional soppressata varieties, along with another “high-end” specialty called Signora di Conca Casale, a type of salamella sausage that takes its name from a small town of 200 inhabitants located above Venafro, characterized by the fact that even the tenderloin filet gets thrown into its mixture. Shifting gears from refined recipes to poor man’s delights, “cicoli” (or pork rinds) are crafted from fat scraps and ever-present in the local favorite “pizza coi cicoli,” a type of focaccia you’ll find on tables throughout the Molisan countryside.
The cheese cart
Cheese is possibly Molise’s most famous traditional specialty, particularly in hills, full of cattle and sheep. In the journey south, toward Puglia, no pit stop in Molise is complete without a trip to stock up on gastronomic delights, such as caciocavallo di Agnone, stracciata, manteca, scamorza, and mozzarella. In the mountains, between Agnone (the City of Bells), Capracotta, and Vastogirardi, you can find one of the best caciocavallo cheeses in central-southern Italy. Its level of aging gives it its characteristic pungent flavor, and the Molisans love to eat it grilled. Likewise, if you talk to a true Molisan, you’ll also discover that the many different scamorza and treccia cheeses (treccia means “braid,” and the shape totally depends on the cheesemaker’s creativity) are just waiting to be grilled and enjoyed. The same area is also known for stracciata, which takes its name from the act of tearing apart the pasta filata (stracciare means “to tear”) in order to shape this cheese, which is either consumed immediately or after a few days when it becomes spreadable. Another local treat is the art of hiding treasures inside a scamorza mixture: this can be seen in both in the manteca and the cacio-salame varieties. The first variety once allowed shepherds to carry around salted butter during their journeys, while the second is a more recent tradition, arising from the need for emigrants to hide salumi inside cheese, which pass through customs more easily.
Termoli, Molise
The mountains vs. the sea: sagne ai fagioli vs. brodetto
Like every poor man’s cuisine (although extremely rich in flavor) that is esteemed in Molisan tradition, there are certain dishes that can be easily defined as one-of-a-kind. One of these is brodetto alla termolese. It is a classic fisherman’s dish. Once they returned from a long day of fishing, they would fill a stock pot with all the fish that were less valuable, too small, or not quite fit for sale. Keep in mind that Molise, like its bordering regions Abruzzo and Puglia, is trabucco fishing territory: a method using elaborate wooden platforms extending into the sea from the land equipped with nets. For this recipe in particular, at least 4 1/2 to 6 1/2 pounds of fish is necessary. From the region of Marche down, brodetto is a common tradition among all the small towns overlooking the Adriatic sea; however, the Molisan variety stands out for the addition of an extra ingredient: green bell pepper, which give the soup a distinctive flavor. In the mountains, on the other hand, more rustic dishes prevail: one example is sagne, a type of homemade “pasta that pairs perfectly with beans and is cooked strictly in a an earthenware pignata pot. Another staple dish from the Molise highlands is lamb or goat ragù, which goes hand in hand with homemade fusilli pasta, a shape that seemingly originated in the area. During the Christmas season in Agnone, the traditional zuppa alla santè is served: a soup tureen is filled with chicken broth loaded with a variety of ingredients, ranging from mini meatballs and fried cheese balls to pieces of aged caciocavallo cheese, bread dredged in beaten eggs and toasted, or even small pieces of a savory egg and cheese cake. Every year, the town of Scapoli celebrates Mardi Gras with a festival dedicated to ravioli scapolesi, an exquisite stuffed pasta combining some of the best local ingredients: sheep’s milk ricotta, sausage, pancetta, and winter vegetables such as chard. The dish is then topped with a flavorful goat ragù. Other typical pasta shapes are cavatelli – also called cuzzutilli in some places – which are eaten with ventricina, as well as maccheroni crioli, a type of spaghetti alla chitarra that takes its name from the laces (or crioli) of the characteristic shoes worn by shepherds. This spaghetti is particularly good when paired with Molisan truffles. Fun fact: not many people know that this small central- southern region is one of Italy’s largest truffle producers!
For dessert: dragées and stuffed wafers
Stuffed wafers are a dessert common to both Molise and Puglia, however the Agnone variety has a unique appearance, thanks to the iron tool used to form the wafers that is practically only sold in the City of Bells. The filling is a delicious, crunchy caramel darkened with a pinch of cocoa and topped with toasted almonds.
Photo by Molisiamo.it
While dragées are most famously produced in the nearby region of Abruzzo, Molise is also known for its own varieties: in fact, the town of Isernia boasts Papa, one of the most renowned dragée companies that also recently added chocolates to its specialties.