Three Campanian dishes: do you know them?

The Campania is a land of extraordinary gastronomic wealth, famous for its culinary creations such as pizza margherita and Gragnano pasta. In the enogastronomic tradition of this region, there are also lesser-known dishes, authentic culinary gems waiting to be discovered. 

Today we will explore five lesser-known delights of Campanian cuisine.
 

Sciusciello

We begin our enogastronomic journey with sciusciello, a spring soup typical of Cilento. This dish is a celebration of fresh ingredients, including wild asparagus, artichokes, broad beans, spring onions, and fresh garlic. 

Scrambled eggs add a creamy texture to the broth, while the toasted bread, known as ù viscuotto, completes the preparation. 

Other traditional soups from the region include cauraro, a Cilentese sardine soup, ciarella, an autumn soup with eggs and onions, and taddi e fave, a spring Cilentese soup with sprouts and fresh fava beans.
 

Polpette Fritte

The meatballs of San Paolo, also called palle 'e San Paulo, are a specialty of Aversa and are prepared on January 25th for the feast of the patron saint. Made with bread, ground meat, eggs, and parsley, they can be customized with pine nuts and raisins. 

There is a saying that only on this day the meatballs have a perfectly spherical shape.
 

Spaghetti alla Nerano

This simple and delicious first course takes its name from the bay of Nerano, where it was created in the 1950s by a Sorrento cook. The spaghetti alla Nerano is prepared with fried zucchini and the renowned Provolone del Monaco, a cheese with a strong flavor. 

This cheese melts with the heat of the pasta, creating a creamy enveloping delight. 

Add black pepper and basil to complete this delicacy. 

Campanian cuisine is not limited to the famous pizza and pasta: these three lesser-known yet extraordinary dishes represent just a small part of the culinary treasure of the region. 

S&M