Welcome to Red Hot Calabria

Calabria is recognized by most of us as the toe of boot of the Italian peninsula. Calabria is one of the most southern regions of Italy. It is bordered to the north by the region of Basilicata, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea and to the east by the Ionian Sea. The narrow Strait of Messina is all that separates Calabria from the neighboring island of

Sicily. Everything in the area from the architecture to the cuisine have been shaped by contact with conquering societies. Arabic, French, Spanish, and Greek invaders have all left a lasting imprint on the area.

Most of the lower terrain of Calabria has been agricultural for hundreds of years. The region boasts the second highest number of organic farms only to be outdone by Sicily. On the lowest slopes, a wealth of vineyards can be found as well as a multitude of citrus orchards where the Bergamot orange is intensely cultivated. At higher elevations olive and chestnut trees spread over the landscape.

Olive trees are abundant with olives representing approximately 70% of the tree crops. As a result, the region is the second highest in the production of olive oil.

The mountain areas of Calabria are covered with wooded terrain perfect for the collection of acorns, chestnuts and wild mushrooms, Calabria is also the highest producer of Porcini Mushrooms in Italy.

A bright, brilliant red springs to mind when one thinks of the color found in Calabrian cuisine. The red color results from the extensive use of Calabrian Chili Peppers, nduja (a spicy spreadable pork salami) and Tropea onion (a torpedo shaped red onion indigenous to the region). The cuisine is simple but is bursting with bold, full-bodied flavors and rich aromas.

The rich farmland, easy access to the sea, abundant livestock are contributors to the creation of a style of cooking that is clean but still maintains a well-defined identity. The cooking can be described as a southern Mediterranean cuisine balanced between meat-based dishes consisting of pork, lamb and goat, vegetables (especially eggplant) and fish. The use of pasta is also important in the Calabrian kitchen. Calabrian pastas are hearty and numerous. The names of the pastas are often somewhat creative. Examples are Ricci di Donna (curls of the lady), Capiedddi ‘e Prieviti (hairs of the priest). Other common pastas are scilatedddri, lagane, cavateddi and maccheroni col ferretto.

Due to the hot, humid climate Calabrians place a high emphasis on the preservation of their food by oiling, salting, curing and smoking. A common practice is to preserve vegetables and meats by packing them in olive oil. One will also find that the art of making sausages and cold cut meats has been perfected and is evidenced by the existence of Sopressata, Nduja and Capocollo.

Local fishermen have no problem finding an abundance of swordfish, cod, sardines, and shellfish such as shrimp and lobster. Fish are also cured, normally swordfish, sardines and cod. Baccalà (a cod fish cured and dried with salt) is utilized often in the preparation of several dishes.

Locally produce cheeses favor goat and sheep milk varieties, although cow’s milk cheeses are becoming more common. Caciocavallo (a cow’s milk cheese that is hung to dry creating its signature teardrop shape), Pecorino Crotonese (a sheep’s milk cheese) Sciungata (a sheep’s milk cheese similar to ricotta, are just a few of a wide variety of the cheeses produced in the area.

Calabrian desserts are often fried pastries sweetened with honey. Cudduraci would be one example of such a dessert. This pastry sometimes baked, is made for Easter and will

sometimes be wrapped around a hard-cooked egg.

Well we cannot leave without a recipe for you to try at home. This one is simple yet delicious.

Lagane e cicciari – wide semolina pasta with chickpeas

Ingredients

Pasta

· 300g of semolina flour

· 150ml of water, lukewarm

Chickpeas

· 150g of dried chickpeas, soaked overnight

· 1 bay leaf

· 2 garlic cloves, bashed, skins left on

· salt

Sauce

· extra virgin olive oil

· 1 small onion, finely diced

· 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

· 1 pinch of chili flakes

· 2 sprigs of rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped

· 75ml of white wine

· 1 handful of parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Method

1

To begin, drain the chickpeas from the soaking water and place in a pan with the garlic cloves, bay leaf and a large pinch of salt. Add roughly double the volume of water to chickpeas then bring to the boil, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Simmer for an hour, or until the chickpeas are cooked

2

Meanwhile, make the pasta dough. Place the semolina flour in a bowl and slowly add the water, mixing with a fork until the flour and water start to come together (you may not need to use all the water)

3

Tip out onto a clean work surface lightly dusted with some more semolina flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes, until you have a nice smooth dough. You can add a little more flour if the dough seems too wet. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest for 1 hour in the fridge

4

Once rested, divide the dough into 4 pieces. One at a time, roll the dough out to a thickness of 2mm using a long rolling pin (this manual method will take some skill and patience, so if you have a pasta machine it will make things easier)

5

Cut the rolled-out pasta into strips roughly 8cm long and 2–3cm wide. Sprinkle with semolina flour as you work to stop the ribbons sticking together

6

Once cooked, drain the chickpeas, reserving about 50ml of the cooking liquor and discarding the garlic and bay leaf

7

Sauté the onion, garlic, chili flakes and rosemary in a generous glug of oil with a pinch of salt. Once soft but not browned, add the chickpeas, white wine and the reserved chickpea stock, and simmer until the liquid in the pan has reduced by half

8

Cook the pasta in heavily salted boiling water for 4 minutes, or until al dente

9

Drain the pasta and add to the chickpeas with a splash of the pasta water – the starch from the cooking water will help emulsify the sauce

10

Toss everything in the pan until nice and glossy. Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground black

pepper and serve immediately

I really hope you give this a try and that you enjoyed the information shared here today.

Next time we will adventure into another southern region of Italy to discover more deliciousness.

Until then, alla prossima!

Buon cibo e buon appetito a tutti!!

Chef John