In the Kitchen Campania Christmas-Part 1with Chef Marco Ambrosino, Sustanza Restaurant, Naples(Na)

Curious about the traditions and recipes of the Campania region? So am I ! Enough to speak with two of the region's top chefs- both based in Naples, Italy. To start things off, I asked Chef Marco Ambrosino about some of his Christmas memories. Here he shares a particular one, recipe included, from his island of Procida.

This Christmas -Buon Natale, Tutti - Part 1

I remember my first Campania Christmas more than 20 years ago.  Days and days of nonstop eating from the 24th of December to the 6th of January.  Flavors and recipes much different than I had grown up with.  I must confess that I love my turkey and stuffing, but I thought it would be neat to ask some of Campania's top gourmet chefs what dishes are found on their family's holiday tables.  What dishes they grew up with - what memories have followed them throughout their careers - what dishes they cannot live without.
It was interesting to note that at home - each chef sticks with tradition, and almost all of the dishes are prepared by their moms, mother-in-laws and/or grandmothers.

Chef Lorenzo Montoro

Chef Lorenzo Montoro ( Il Flauto di Pan, Ravello) is from Sarno.  His family is rooted in traditions from the Sarno region - they even own a farm that produces quality herbs and vegetables for many of the top restaurants in Italy.  Fried codfish, stuffed escarole, and fried eel are musts. Eel and river shrimp are typical farmer's dishes in the area since for many farmers, fish was out of their price range.  Another typical dish?  Broccoli, simply boiled and topped with lemon and olive oil.

Chef Domenico Stile

Chef Domenico Stile (Enoteca La Torre, Rome) is from Gragnano.  His family also sticks with tradition with dishes such as fried codfish and reinforcement salad.  This sald is quite popular during the season with ingredients such as cauliflower, Neapolitan peppers aka papacelle, green and black olives and capers. On Christmas Day?  Lasagna with meatballs ( made with ground beef and sausage), hard boiled eggs, and chiodini mushrooms.

Chef Angelo Carannante

Chef Angelo Carannante (Caracol, Bacoli). One of Carannante's dishes that he cannot live without is his mother-in-law's reinforcement salad.  It wouldn't be Christmas without  her version that includes anchovies.  The chef assured me that it is really really good!

Chef Antonio Lebano

Chef Antonio Lebano (Terrazza Gallia, Milan)  A few weeks ago I was in Milan and spoke with this young chef about his holiday traditions.  Lebano is from the Vesuvius area, and his eyes shone brightly as he spke to me about this Christmas Eve snack from his childhood.  Pane cafone, escarole, piennolo tomatoes (produced by his uncle) , and anchovies.  I made some myself today.  Fantasticaaa!

Chef Domenico Candela

Chef Domenico Candela (George Restaurant, Naples) Candela is from Marano, a small town in the Naples province.  And though he has spent years outside of Naples, primarily in France, his heart is rooted in traditions from his beloved Napoli.  So what can we find at his family's Christmas table? Many fish based dishes.  One that sticks out?  His mother's linguine allo scoglio - linguine with seafood such as mussels, shrimp, and  clams.

Chef Antonino Montefusco

Chef Antonino Montefusco (Terrazza Bosquet, Sorrento).  Montefusco shares with his diners a dessert that his mother has prepared for years during the holiday season.  Mostaccioli.  This typical Neapolitan recipe includes a dough that needs to rest for at least 5 days before baked, then glazed with white sugar and a cocoa.

Boun Natale, tutti!

Christmas in Sorrento, Chef Antonino Montefusco, Terrazza Bosquet, Sorrento (Na)

The Christmas holidays are full of traditions, especially in Campania! Especially at the table!!!
The perfect opportunity to visit Michelin star chef Antonino Montefusco of Terrazza Bosquet in Sorrento to see what he had in store for those who decided to spend Christmas at his table...

Chef Antonino Montefusco

The chef invited me into his kitchen to check out  four holiday recipes beginning  with an his appetizer.  Codfish and reinforcement salad.

Next, a twist on a classic spaghetti and clams, Montefusco proposes a ravioli stuffed with clams.

La minestra maritata or as we say in English, wedding soup ,is a definite must!

And for dessert?   Roccoco'!  Montefusco's version is a little different, though it still has the fantastic flavors of Christmas in Campania!

Grazie, chef!!!  Buone feste!!!

A Taste of Christmas - Struffoli at SUD - Quarto (Na)

I chose a Saturday evening to do my "Merry Christmas" rounds.  A Saturday evening to drive to Quarto to drop in on friends  with a Buon Natale e Felice Anno Nuovo.  I chose a Saturday evening to chat with Chef Marianna Vitale in the cozy kitchen of her restaurant SUD.

Chef Marianna Vitale 

 I arrived before the dinner rush, so there was plenty of time to chat with the chef as she and her staff were preparing for a busy evening. Plenty of time for my dozen or so questions for Vitale about Napoli and traditional Christmas recipes. Like the one she was preparing - struffoli.   This colorful   dessert is a must on every Neapolitan Christmas table.  And just like any classic, each family has their variations on the recipe but it basically goes like this...

Balls of dough are fried and then drained on paper towels...

they are then drenched in honey ...

then decorated with colorful sprinkles and candied fruits....

I grabbed  a plate of these warm honey balls as Vitale continued to sprinkle her Christmas cheer onto the small shiny stacks of struffoli.  A tasty tradition, perfect for after dinner...perfect for snacking on while playing tombola...and perfect for  sharing with friends during a Merry Christmas rounds.

Merry Christmas!

A Taste of Christmas - Insalatina di Baccalà - Chef Francesco Fusco -Locanda Il Moera (Av)

I wanted a taste...a taste of Christmas.  In Campania at Christmas, fish is the dish.  And baccalà, cod, has a pole position on almost every holiday table. Cod is not something that we Americans eat normally, but after nearly 18 years in Campania, I have fallen in love with this specialty that has found it's way to Italian shores via Norway.  At last week's Gusta Natale, I had an opportunity to try Chef Francesco Fusco's insalatina di baccalà, a cod salad.  Fusco's recipe is a twist on a classic he told me as he drizzled a creamy infusion of bell peppers around the plate.  He completed the dish by adding a fennel and black olive chip on top.

Merry Christmas Chef!

Locanda Il Moera
Via delle Centurie - Avella (Av)
081 825 2924

And Now for Something Completely Different...Christmas With Armando Palmieri

Armando Palmieri

Armando Palmieri, from Misen En Place, suggested a few Christmas menu items on his site that I am more than happy to pass along.  In addition to the usual Neapolitan menu items, he has added a few alternatives. 

One option is a salad with chickpeas, fried salmon, cut into small pieces, rucola and balsamic vinegar.


 

Another idea is making a salad using granchio a roundelle (or surimi), chopped celery, and shrimp tossed in a dressing of olive oil, lemon juice, and black pepper.

Or a simple dish made with anchovies, also includes those who are fresh on the market already marinated in oil and vinegar and cut inhalf.  Put each strip on a lettuce leaf or, if you wish, layering them with diced tomatoes

Or shrimp with an avocado dip.  A dip made with avocado, shrimp, mayonaise, lemon, olive oil, and parsley.

For the first course, rissoto with artichokes and shrimp.

For the second course, black sea bass cooked al cartoccio in the oven with vegetables.

For dessert, an amazing dessert layered with custard, cake, and fruit...Trifle.

For the recipes on all these dishes, take a look at Armando Palmieri's web site.

Buon Natale!!!!



Christmas with...Chef Francesco Rizzuti...Antica Osteria Marconi in Potenza (Basilicata)

This year for Christmas (weather permitting) I’ll be sitting down to a traditional Christmas dinner in Lorton, Virginia with my family. You know, turkey, stuffing, candied yams…


 

Chef Francesco Rizzuti

I couldn’t help but think, however, if I was in Italy, what choices I would have for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I decided to ask a few chefs. One chef was CHIC chef Francesco Rizzuti, Antica Osteria Marconi in Potenza. He shared with me a menu that was rich in fish.

On Christmas Eve he suggested spaghetti with clams, oysters, and lobsters. His Cucina lucana is not complete without baccala…cod. Batter fried cod. Appetizers would include baccala with scarpedde di pasta which are fried together with anchovies or peppers. Cod can also be served a ciuadedda; onions, tomatoes, olive di ferrandina…all stewed together. The sauce can be used for a rich plate of spaghetti saving the cod for the second course. Cod that has been joined by crunchy peppers and pepperoni cruschi. Side dishes? Vegetables? How about fried cauliflower or fried artichokes? How about a vegetable minestrone?

Christmas Day?

Well….the chef recommends chicken…home range, please. Chicken with an egg and sausage stuffing that produces a sauce so rich that it is perfect for homemade pasta; s trascinati , orecchiette or cavatelli. His tradition also calls for pasta al forno…baked pasta…a baked lasagna.

After enjoying your pasta and chicken, oven roasted lamb is next on the menu. A lamb that has been roasted with potatoes arraganante style. That means they have been seasoned with bread crumbs, Pecorino di Moliterno, garlic and parsley.

Dessert? Casatedde: sheets of dough fried and served with honey or cooked must.

Ok...I may miss this year, but I believe I will be spending next Christmas with Francesco...


Antica Osteria Marconi
Viale Marconi, 233,
85100 Potenza, Italia. Tel.: +39.0971.56900.