The province of Caserta is in the Campania region of Italy located 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Naples. It is an important agricultural, commercial and industrial area. The Roccamonfina Regional Park is the location of an extinct volcano whose eruptions shaped this region long ago. It is an ideal habitat for the chestnut forests, vineyards and olive groves that are found in the area.

Festivals and fairs that marry both the sacred and the pagan recall the history, culture and traditions of Caserta Province – in particular, the Sagra delle Pallottole, a food festival held every year in San Leucio. The event features a historic procession in which participants wear traditional clothing and the local women prepare and serve potato croquettes. Exhibits, events, concerts and the famous float parade all enliven the streets in celebration of one of the most colorful times of the year, Carnevale.

The cuisine of Caserta is made of simple recipes using local products.

Buffalo mozzarella is produced with craftsmanship in this province. It is often made into different shapes: round, braided, knotted or small balls. The water buffalo milk is also used to make butter and other cheeses such as, burrino, burrata, smoked provola and fresh or dried ricotta. Salaprese is a sheep’s milk cheese that is not matured but eaten right after having absorbed the salt. It tastes fresh and sweet, with a strong hint of sheep’s milk.

Local farms supply meat used to prepare cold cuts such as capicollo, prosciutto di Monte, pancetta tesa and the filet, Vairano Patenora. The province is also famous for its salsiccia, a sausage seasoned in special terra-cotta vases.

The Campanella artichoke, porcini mushroom, the many varieties of apple, the golden plum and the chestnut are all delicacies that distinguish the local cuisine.

Desserts consist of honey and walnut biscuits; pigne are glazed sweets and a pastry called serpentone that is stuffed with honey and walnuts.

The wine list is long as well and includes Asprinio di Aversa, Falerno del Massico and Galluccio, all labeled DOC.

Culinary Specialties of Caserta

Mozzarella di Bufala Salad

Ingredients

• Buffalo mozzarella (1 large ball for every 2 servings)
• Breadcrumbs
• All purpose flour
• Salt & pepper
• 2 eggs
• Olive oil for frying
• Mixed salad greens

Sauce

• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 small chili pepper
• Handful of basil leaves, plus extra for garnish

Directions

Make the sauce first.

Grill the red pepper, turning it often until it starts to char evenly on all sides. When cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, cut open the pepper and clean out the seeds and any pulp. Cut the flesh into smaller pieces and place in a food processor along with the oil, chili pepper, garlic, basil, salt and mascarpone. Process until smooth. Taste and correct for salt. Place in the refrigerator to thicken while you prepare the other ingredients. Remove the sauce about 5 minutes before serving and give it a good stir.

Tip: You can make the sauce in advance to save time. It will keep for a few days. If you want a thicker sauce, leave out the olive oil.

Prep the mozzarella.  

Set out a plate for flour and another for the breadcrumbs. Beat the eggs in a shallow bowl. Drain the mozzarella and slice each ball in half. Gently pat both sides of the slices dry with a paper towel. Dredge each piece of cheese in the flour, then the egg and then the breadcrumbs, making sure to cover the cheese entirely; set aside on waxed paper. Repeat until all the cheese is breaded. Depending on how many cheeses you are using, you may need more breading ingredients.

You can serve all the cheese on one platter with the salad or as individually plated servings. Arrange the salad greens accordingly.

Heat the olive oil. You want at least an inch of cooking oil, so use a small pan and fry the cheese in batches. Gently slide the slices into the oil. They are ready to turn over after about 3 minutes, or when the bottom has turned golden brown and firm. Gently turn them and cook for another 3 minutes. When golden and crunchy on all sides, transfer the cheese to paper towels to drain and lightly salt them.

Let them cool slightly, but be sure to serve them warm-hot. You can also slice them in half. Drizzle the pepper cream sauce directly over the cheese and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Linguine with Colatura di Alici and Erbe di Campo

Ingredients

• 1 lb (500 gr) linguine
• 1 ½ lbs (700 gr) wild greens or broccoli rabe
• 3-4 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon colatura di alici (Italian anchovy sauce)
• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes

Directions

Wash and clean the broccoli rabe and cut them into 2-inch pieces; set aside.

In a large pan, sauté the garlic in the olive oil until lightly golden, add the broccoli and season with salt. Cook over medium heat until the broccoli is tender, then remove the pan from the heat.

Place a pot of salted water on the stove and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the pan with the broccoli. Toss the mixture over low heat, add the colatura and chili; toss again to coat the pasta evenly.

Add a couple of ladles of pasta cooking water to create a creamier sauce. Serve hot.

Salt Cod Baked in Spicy Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (900 g) thick salt cod fillets
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes (chili)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cans (each 12 ounces; 340 g) Italian plum tomatoes, pureed
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Vegetable oil for frying
• All-purpose flour for dredging
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Salt cod must be soaked overnight before cooking to remove the salt. Place it in a bowl with cold water to cover and soak for 24 hours, changing the water three or four times.

If you’re in a hurry, try the quick-soak method. Rinse the cod under cold running water for 15 minutes. Place it in a pan with cold water to cover and gradually bring to a boil. Drain the fish and rinse in cold water. Repeat the boiling and rinsing process two or three times.

Cut the cod into 4 x 1 1/2-inch (10 X 4-cm) pieces, then pat dry with paper towels and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C).

Sauté the garlic in the olive oil until golden. Remove the skillet from the heat and add the hot pepper flakes and parsley. Stir, then replace the skillet on the stove. Add the tomatoes, sugar, salt, pepper and oregano. Simmer 5 minutes and set aside. Remove and discard the garlic.

Heat the vegetable oil in another skillet over moderate heat. When a cube of bread browns in about 1 minute, the oil is ready for frying. Flour the cod fillets lightly and fry until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towels.

Arrange the cod fillets in a bake-and-serve dish and cover with the tomato sauce. Bake for 20 minutes.

Limoncello Sorbet Cups

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup limoncello
• Lemon zest from two lemons
• 1 pinch salt
• Lemon cups (1 hollowed out lemon  per serving)

Directions

Bring the water and sugar just to a boil in a sauce pan, stirring frequently, until you have a thick, clear syrup. Turn off the heat and let cool.

Transfer the syrup to a bowl and add the lemon juice, lemon zest, limoncello and salt. Stir well and transfer to a ceramic baking dish or plastic container, cover and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Check the sorbet periodically and move it around with a fork. When ready, scrape the sorbet with a fork; then use an ice cream scoop to serve.

To make the lemon cups:

Slice ¾ of an inch off the stem side of the lemons. Using a paring knife and teaspoon, carefully cut and scoop out the lemon pulp. Do this over a bowl so you can save the juice. Slice about ¼ inch from the bottom of the lemons, so they will stand.

Freeze the cups along with the sorbet. When the sorbet is ready, fill the cups and place them back in the freezer until serving. You can make a batch of several sorbet cups in advance.

Posted by Jovina Coughlin in anchovies, broccoli rabe, Caserta, Cheese, Desserts, Fish, Fruit, Healthy Italian Cooking, lemon, Pasta, roasted red pepper, salt cod, Sauces, sorbet, tomatoes, Vegetables Tags: cuisine of Caserta, Italy