The holiday season has kicked off and what better time to start thinking about what is going to be popping up on our tables this period. In Campania a popular item is pizza, of course. I’m not talking about a pizza margherita or marinara. The other evening at Foorn Soccavo, in Naples, Italy, I hosted Le Pizze delle Feste -an event to discuss these robust pizza pies with a group of Neapolitans. Over a glass or two of wine, we tasted 4 pizzas, a sfogliatella riccia, and a panettone while sharing stories, recipes, and memories. By my side was the talented Chef Giovanni Erculanese.
Here’s a bit of what went down. The first pizza that we tried was the pizza di scarola or pizza with escarole. Pizza di Scarola is a traditional Neapolitan dish that originated in Naples, Italy during the 18th century. It was initially considered a meal for the less financially fortunate, as it was made with the simple ingredients; The basic ingredients are pizza dough, escarole, capers, and black olives and just a bit of lard. Some recipes add raisins, pine nuts and even anchovies. It is usually served for lunch on Christmas Eve.
Discussions were lively for this pizza. For many it brought back memories of their nonna/grandmother. Several guests admitted that they prefer to buy this specialty in bakeries because they do not have the time or patience. Myself included. I am definitely not a baker! Next- la pizza rustica. Pizza Rustica (also known as Torta Rustica) was traditionally served during Easter celebrations, made with leftover eggs, cheese, and meats that were previously prohibited during the Lenten season. The dish is a savory pie that includes ricotta, mozzarella, and cured meats like salami and prosciutto, although the filling can vary by region or personal preference. Some people prefer to add vegetables like spinach, while others add other cheeses like Parmesan or Pecorino.
The pie's crust is typically a rich and buttery pastry, and it's baked until golden brown and crispy on the outside. Pizza Rustica is commonly served as an appetizer or antipasti platter during the holiday season. Another popular pizza during this period is called the tortano. This, as well as the casatiello are also popular during the Easter season, but has found its way to the Christmas table as well. Chef Erculanese expanded on this particular savory pizza pie. Tortano dough consists of flour, lard (or suet), pepper, eggs, and cicoli, each of which has a unique significance. Flour is the primary ingredient used in bread-making and is often referred to as the ultimate food. Eggs, symbolizing birth and even the shape itself has a religious meaning (tied to Easter). Its design mirrors the crown of thorns, symbolizing the sacrifice made by Christ.
Next, pizza alla pala. Pizza alla pala is not your average Neapolitan pizza. Its distinctive rectangular shape sets it apart (hence the name, which translates to "pizza on a peel"). This pizza is prepared using more water and significantly less yeast than a traditional Neapolitan pizza, giving it a unique texture and flavor. We gobbled down one with mortadella and provola cheese.
It was time for dessert- this is where we had a chance to try the popular sfogliatella. Hailing from the Amalfi coast of Campania and widely popular in Naples, Sfogliatella is a traditional Italian pastry renowned for its unique shell-like shape and flaky, multi-layered crust. The filling is typically made with ricotta cheese, semolina, candied orange peel, and cinnamon, and dates back to the 17th century when nuns created the pastry to support their convent. There are two varieties of Sfogliatella – 'riccia' (curly) and 'frolla' (shortbread) – with the majority of our group preferring the riccia version. These delightful pastries were provided by renowned Pastry Chef Salvatore Capparelli, who popular bakery and coffee is located in Naples' historic center.
The evening closed with a bite of panettone, a sweet, Italian bread that is typically consumed during the Christmas season. We were served a piece made with wheat barley and little chunks of chocolate!
Interesting to note that this bread, often with raisin, candied fruit, and almonds was born in Northern Italy. It has only become popular in the past several years in Campania-and the pastry chefs here have become quite good at it. An evening of Le Pizze delle Feste was not just a chance to taste some fantastic offerings from Foorn and Pasticcieria Capparelli, but it was also a time to share stories, memories, recipes, and laughs. Thanks Guido, Teresa and Giovanni and all the guests who came for creating the perfect mood.  Proceeds from the event went towards the In the Kitchen Campania crowdfunding campaign. |
The harvest was just over, but
no problem. I decided to visit the
vineyards another time. My eyes were
attracted to the bottles. A certain set
of bottles in particular. Their Crus-their
wines produced from particular vineyards.
Trebulanum® Casavecchia
di Pontelatone DOC – Casavecchia
Morrone® Terre
del Volturno IGT - Pallagrello Bianco
Murella® Terre
del Volturno IGT - Pallagrello nero
I was attracted to these particular bottles, not just for the clean white and gold labels- but for the clean wooden boxes. Each box had 6 bottles. And in that box, there
was another box. And in that box there
were jars.
Let’s take a closer look. How many times have you bought a bottle of wine, read the label and tried to imagine what and where was being described? Massimo Alois asks himself the same questions, and is a soil collecting fanatic. So besides the (numbered) labels giving info about the location and altitude of the vineyard, Alois has included samples of the terrain in little jars. Pretty cool!
Alois has also included maps- maps designed in collaboration
with artist Felix Policastro and printed by Massimo Longabardi.
What better way to learn about a territory? Open a bottle, pour
yourself a glass, check out the maps, run your fingers through the soil in the
jars…
Then have your own mini tasting- swirl the glass, take in
the aromas, and finally taste.
Cheers!
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The Dream
Over the past 14 years, I have travelled the Campania region visiting over 100 of the region's restaurants. I have enjoyed sharing my gastronomic adventures on my blog, Andiamotrips, as well as on various social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. My focus has always been to share through words, photos and videos to those, like me, who want to discover the traditions, stories, and recipes of this vast and varied region. Over the years, I realized that one of the best ways to learn about Campanian cuisine was to observe those who have made it their profession. To visit those who work day to day in the kitchen. I have often dreamt about how I could share this passion of mine with the world. How it might be exciting to go one step further, go that extra mile. Now I strongly believe that I am ready to take that dream to a new level by creating a video travel diary documentary series which will focus on the chefs, restaurants, and traditional recipes of the Campania region. This series will be called In the Kitchen Campania.
The project
In the Kitchen Campania is a documentary video series which explores the cuisine of Italy's Campania region. I chose to feature the phrase in the kitchen because in Campania, that is the focal point of the home. A place where friends and family can feel free to discuss just about everything. In this series, I will meet with chefs in their kitchens to learn and discover the history, traditions and recipes of their territory. The web series will consist of 5 - 10 episodes that will be 10-15 minutes long. Each episode will feature a different chef/restaurant in which the chefs themselves will serve as our tour guide throughout the territory. They will share with us their background stories, describe their cuisine, discuss typical dishes of the area including a favorite dish or two from their childhood. The video stories will be accompanied by a short summary of mine in English to allow access to the entire audience of my community. The chefs' story will be in Italian with English subtitles. The project will also be the main ingredient for other mini projects with the In the Kitchen Campania drive and spirit such as the creation of ebooks, travel guides, and culinary events.
What will I do with the funds?
An elaborate project like this has its cost. Each episode has an average cost of 3,000 to 5,000 euros for all the activities to be carried out. For the launch of the project and the development of the first series of episodes, I have chosen to carry out an online crowdfunding reward campaign by presenting some of the gadgets and products that are part of the venture as well as giving the community the possibility to be part of the project as a partner of an episode and/or as a sponsor.
To reduce costs, the first edition of the web series will see me as a protagonist in the various activities of design, development, management, production and marketing. However, I hope that the project will grow quickly and I will be able to create an international team for the different activities. I would like to invest in the series and in Andiamotrips by adding to my team (extra cameraman or sound person, IT, etc.). I would also like to invest in new equipment, software, as well as the blog itself by transferring it to its own domain.
In this way I will be able to share with you how In The Kitchen Campania’s growth and discover the different aspects of the development and promotion of the project.
The first objective is 2,000 euro with which will go towards the first few episodes of the series. Other funds will be allocated towards future episodes with the possibility of creating sponsored and customized projects.
The first series
The first series will be published online in early 2024 on the Andiamotrips YouTube channel with an episode broadcast every 2-3 weeks. The episodes will also be shared with the chefs and their restaurants.
Want to learn more?
Visit the link here.
Thanks for your support!
There is a saying: “See Naples, and then die.” This phrase, coined by the German poet Goethe during his visit, reflects his deep admiration ...
