If Italy is the homeland of great food, Southern Italy is the core of that homeland. Here is an overview of three of the most important regions of the South.
Campania
In the fertile, volcanic soils around Mount Vesuvius, tomatoes, peppers, artichokes, fennel and citrus fruits ripen under the best climatic conditions. They shape the cuisine of Campania every bit as much as fish and seafood. Neapolitan pizza and the famous mozzarella di bufala, made from the flavourful milk of water buffaloes, Limoncello, at once refreshing and full-flavoured lemon liqueur, is becoming more and more popular
Apulia (Puglia)
Vegetables, olive oil, pasta and wine are the staples of the food found in the Apulian region. Italy’s best bread basket, as the region has come to be known today, produces the majority of the semolina (hard wheat) that is used in making pasta. Apulia is also the country’s largest producer of olive oil. High quality preserved vegetable and sausage specialties are made according to traditional recipes.
Basilicata
Surrounded by the regions of Campania, Apulia and Calabria, Basilicata has not yet become a major tourist destination. It is supposedly the birthplace of salsiccia, which, along with a second sausage specialty called soperzata, was already produced in antiquity. Other famous regional products include oyster mushrooms and peperoncini. Aglianico del Vulture, a red wine extolled as the ‘Barolo of the South’, is one of Italy’s most important wines.
Calabria
Calabria is strategically situated between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian seas, and has attracted conquerors from time immemorial: Greeks, Teutons, Arabs, the French and Spaniards. Today some of the best Italian citrus fruits, fogs, apricots, plums, almonds and bergamots thrive under the intense southern sun. Aubergines and red onions from Tropea are also famous.
You might want to try this Spaghetti with almonds and basil
For that you will need:
Spaghetti, (at our house we like whole wheat)
White wine
Olive oil
Butter
Basil, (If you don’t have fresh, frozen will do just fine)
Parmesan
Garlic
Almonds sliced or chopped coarsely
To begin you want to cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling water for about 10 minutes, even a little less, al-dente is often better. Drain the spaghetti in a colander, then put them back in the pan. Now the fun begins: Turn off the heat and add a good chunk of butter, garlic and 2 teaspoon of basil, turn the heat back on, on low. Mix and let the pasta absorb the flavors. Then squirt a splash of white wine and keep the bottom from sticking with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle parmesan and almonds, and mix, mix, mix, don’t stop yet keep mixing. When the aroma get over the pan and invades the house it’s ready. Pour into a serving dish, sprinkle some more parmesan on top…
If you enjoyed the almond and basil spaghetti someday you might want to try the bruschetta recipe.
Buon appetito!
You Might Also Enjoy:
- Ideas For An Italian Party
- Should You Buy a Pasta Machine?
- Can You Heat 240 Gallons Of Water Using Only A Solar Water Heater?
- Chocolate Cubes With Marsala Wine
- Pewter Wine Goblets For Your Home
