Calabria Foods, Cook Book

Old World and classic family recipies, from past generations which have been submited to "Real Calabrese Foods" by our friends and members.

[Appetizers] [Breads, Pastas & Pizza] [Pasta dishes] [Fish & Seafoods]
[Meat dishes] [Pastries & Deserts] [Salads] [soups]
[Specialties] Vegetables/Greens]

Real Calabrian Foods
by Fran Katatto:
From the poor, mountainous region in southern Italy, one might expect the phrase "peasant food" to mean something less than appetizing. While much of the soil may not be ideal for farming, the people of Calabria were able to take what the earth gave them and create foods still being enjoyed today. Capicola, supresetta (salami), and hot sausages originated here and though Cooking may differ from village to village both in content and in name; the cuisine remains the same: basic, somewhat overspiced, but still delicious!
On these web pages you may find dishes your parents and grandparents prepared, or you might recognize something you enjoyed as a child or still serve to your children. In any case, pour yourself a glass of regional wine (Salvuto, Greco or Ciro), fire up the stove or oven, and try your hand at preparing what we affectionately remember as "peasant food". Not only will it fill your home with great aromas, but it will fill your heart with warm memories.
Fran Kattato:

Calabrese salami and cheese.

Feature Articles

[IMAGE] Introduction (About this site) Dont expect to find too much of what mama used to make or even Grandma for that matter. Great Grandma? Perhaps!.
[IMAGE] Glossary of Calabrian Foods This Glossary is to help you to better understand
the ingredients you might find in our collect recipes.
[IMAGE] Travel in the 1950s Calabria in the 1950's when the people were poor and still recovering from WWII. At this time travelers found both food and accommodations to be less then adequate.
[IMAGE] Foods Of Calabria. A description of Calabrian foods, their
history, their origin and use.
[IMAGE] Salami A very nice short article about Calabrian salamis, including
Capacola, Suppersetta, ect.
[IMAGE] Peperoncino Those dried red peppers you see, both hot and sweet,
that are strung up and hung out in the sun to dry.
[IMAGE] Peasant Cusine These are old and somewhat exotic recipies, from.
Calabria's past. Many of these foods, would be considerd barbaric by
todays standards and are destained to be forgotten, forever.

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Appetizers

[IMAGE] Caponata
  A Olive-Eggplant Relish or Dip. Petilia-Policastro.Cotrone
[IMAGE] Chestnuts-roasted
  Simple, roasted Chestnuts. Prov. Of Cosenza
[IMAGE] cipullìn' con peperoni
  Chippoline, bitter-little red onions   Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Polpetta Calabrese
  Fried Golden Brown Rice Balls.  Mangone, Cosenza

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Breads, Pastas & Pizza

[IMAGE] Chilliròne
  A Easter bread very similar to a bagel, w/fennell seeds. Oriolo, Cosenza.
[IMAGE] Easter basket
  Bread is woven into a basket, that holds eggs and goodies Oriolo, Prov. of Cosenza
[IMAGE] Easter bread (Lemon)
  Sweet Lemon flavored Bread Petilia-Policastro. Cotrone
[IMAGE] Fraoni (Pittanghiùs')
  Swiss Chard filled Turnover Oriolo Cs
[IMAGE] Pittanghiùs e'Spinaci
  or Fraoni. (Turnover) Filled w/Spinach, Rasins and spices Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pittanghiùs' cu li viti
  Pit en guise. (Turnover)Filled w/meats and spices Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pita Fritto (Zippoli)
  Fried bread dough topped with sugar or honey. Cosenza.
[IMAGE] Terralle
  Calabrian hard bread, most comparable to a Pretzel  Roseta, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Gudaruni:
  Called Calzone some regions, Pitenguise in others. Africa, Regio Calabria
[IMAGE] Homemade Macaroni
  simple preperation of Pastas. Fussili, Rashkatill, Tagliarini, ect. Oriolo, Prov.Cs.
[IMAGE] Pita Pepperoli
  Triditional Pizza w/peppers-tomato sauce Oriolo, Cosenza

click here for
( Details )

A Must for the Serious Calabrese Cook!
Cucina Di Calabria
by Mary Amabile Palmer
Treasured Calabrian Recipes and old Family Customs. READ REVIEW

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Fish & Seafoods

[IMAGE] Calamari e mullica.
  Squid, w/Fried breadcrumbs. Oriolo, Prov. di Cosenza:
[IMAGE] Calamari al Fritta.
  Squid, Battered, breaded and fried. Nicastro, Prov. Catanzaro:
[IMAGE] Fried Smelt.
  Whole head on smelt, battered and fried. Oriolo, Prov. Cosenza:
[IMAGE] Triglie con Olive.
  Whole mullet or Snapper fried w/olives. Cosenza, Prov. Cosenza:

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Meat-Poultry

Beef-Veal ( Monzo)
[IMAGE] Cutolette al Calabraise.
  Cutlet w/Pepper-Tomato sauce. Ciro, Prov. Cotrone:
[IMAGE] Veal Pickeled
  A simple Pickeled meat in a spiced jell. Oriolo, Cosenza:
[IMAGE] Brasciole Oriolese
A simple rolled meat with spices. Oriolo, Cosenza:
[IMAGE] Morseddu:
Lungs, Heart, ect. (of beef) Cosenza, Prov. of Cosenza
[IMAGE] Ciccaudia cu e' millica.
  Fried Dandelions w/sausage-breadcrumbs Oriolo, Cosenza:

Chicken-Poultry (Pollo)

[IMAGE] Cacciatori al Pollo:
  Cacciatori w/mushrooms, chicken or any meat you choose. Cosenza
[IMAGE] Chicken Cacciatori:
  The Hunter.This is real Calabrese! Ciicken or rabbit w/peppers & tomatoes. Oriolo, Cs.
[IMAGE] Leg of lamb.
  Or Goat may be used!!!. Oriolo, Cosenza

Pork & Sausage ( Maiale e Salsiccia)

[IMAGE] Iwat'na:
  Pickeled pigs feet, in a spiced jell Lago, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Torta Di Sangue Di Maiale:
  (Pork) Blood Pudding Pie(Sanguinaccio)Cosenza
[IMAGE] Sangue di Maiale.
  Blood Pudding, from Pig blood. San Filli, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pepperoni e Salccisa.
  Sausage w/peppers-Tomato Lago, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Trippa di pomodora.
  Beef tripe in a seasoned tomato sauce. Caulonia, Reggio di Calabria

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Pasta Dishes

[IMAGE] Gnocchi:
  Light (homemade Pasta) w/ Riccota Cheese and sauce.San Paolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pasta Con Anchove:
  Linguini w/Anchove, tomato & Pepper sauce. Mammalo Reggio Calabria
[IMAGE] Suga Marianara
  A simple spagetti (tomato) sauce Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Maccaruni con Calimari
  Pasta w/Squid, pepper, tomato sauce) sauce Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Maccarun cu la millica.
  pasta W/breadcrumbs, rasins & baccala Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pasta Asciuta
  Macaroni w/oil and seasonings Ciro'Marina, Cotrone:
[IMAGE] Spagetti Aglio-Olio:
  Linguini w/ Garlic and oil sauce. Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Potatoes & Macaroni
  Layerd casserol w/breadcrumbs. Oriolo, Cosenza

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Pastries-Deserts

[IMAGE] Cuccidatta
  Popular, fig, nut and rasin filled cookies.. San Giovani, Reggio di Calabria
[IMAGE] Chocolate/Black Pepper Cookies
  BISCOTTI AL CIOCCOLATO CON PEPE NERO /Spicy Cookies w/Chocolate and Black Pepper.
Oriolo Cosenza
[IMAGE] Fico e' Uva
  Wedding Desert, honey dipped Fig, stuffed w/almond, in grape leaves. Oriolo, Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pita Piato
  A sweet rasin pastry. Petilia-Policastro.Cotrone
[IMAGE] scaledde
  cookies resemble little ladders. Cosenza, Prov.Cosenza

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Salads

[IMAGE] Tomato/Pepper Salad
A simple but delicious salad, combining Fresh tomato slices with rosted peppers and seasonings . Oriolo, Cosenza.
[IMAGE] Fresh Dandelion Salad
Insalata di Dente di Leone w/wild or Italian Dandelions. Lago, Prov. of Cosenza

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Soups (Zuppa)

[IMAGE] Zuppa Escarole:
  (Sca-rowa or Scalaw greens is escarole in English, as far as I know) Scalaw soup w/ pork, beaf chicken or other meat broth.  Scilla Cosenza
[IMAGE] Zuppa di Pollo:
  (Chicken soup) A fast and easy way to make great" Zuppa di Pollo," Calabrian style.  Africa, Reggio Calabria
[IMAGE] Escarole e' Polo:
  A wonderful chicken soup with Escarole, Spinach or your favorite greens.  Rocca Imperiale Cosenza
[IMAGE] Zuppa di Pollo:
  (Chicken soup) A fast and easy way to make great" Zuppa di Pollo," Calabrian style.  Africa, Reggio Calabria
[IMAGE] Egg omlet soup
  (Mariola all Calabrese)  Prov of Crotone
[IMAGE] Fava Bean Soup
  (Fava beans with Escalow)  From Oriolo Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pasta e Fasuli
  Macaroni and bean in light tomato based soup.Prov.Cosenza

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Vegetables-\ and Greens

[IMAGE] Spinaci E Aglio
  Spinach w/Garlic & Oil (Escargow, Endive or may substitute other greens).   Oriolo, Cosenza.
[IMAGE] Peppers, Fried-Roasted
  Pepers. Any kind, Hot or Sweet.   From Oriolo Cosenza
[IMAGE] Pepperona
  (A Pepper & tomatoe stew, excellent as a "Cacciatori" Base or alone.  Amendalaro Cosenza
[IMAGE] Spinaci Fritata
  Fried Spinach cakes (Breaded, Egg batter)   From Oriolo Cosenza
[IMAGE] Stuffed Eggplant
  Stuff eggplant stuffed and baked with veal or pork mixture.  From Oriolo Cosenza

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Our Calabrian Heritage