Claudia Fontana, Author at Massa Lubrense

12
Apr 23
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Festivals: an opportunity to get to know the area

Category:Blog,Featured,Festivals,Food Tags : Events festivals Folklore Gastronomia Local Products sagre Tradition

written by Claudia Fontana

Festivals are popular local celebrations that generally arise from a religious festivity, often to commemorate a saint. They are generally animated by music, fun activities and excellent cuisine. In Massa Lubrense there are several festivals throughout the year: here you can taste the best products of our land.

Zucchini Festival

It takes place on the second Sunday of July in the village of Acquara to celebrate the patron saint St. Vito. The day of St. Vito is actually celebrated on June 15th, but it is customary to carry out the festival in July. The most important moment is certainly the procession that passes through the whole village. Among the delicious foods that you can eat, there are many zucchini-based dishes such as the famous parmigiana and spaghetti alla Nerano.

Lemon Festival

Among the most famous festivals in the area there is certainly the lemon festival. It is held in July and is dedicated to one of the typical products of our land: lemon. You can taste various dishes and lemon-based specialties such as sorbet and risotto and you can also try the famous limoncello.

Snail Festival

Also very famous is the snail festival held on June 29th in Monticchio. The festival takes place on the occasion of the feast of St. Peter. There is, at first, a long procession followed by the Massa Lubrense music band. Then during the festival, in addition to pleasant musical performances and various activities for the youngest, you can taste the delicious snails.

Potato Festival

It takes place in the village of Termini to celebrate San Costanzo. It is held in July and usually lasts for a weekend. The main product is the potato, which is the basis of all dishes, from the starter to the dessert. Among the specialties are croquette, potato ravioli and Neapolitan staples.

Tomato festival

It takes place on the first Sunday of August in the village of Torca to celebrate the patron saint, St. Anna. As for the zucchini festival, also in this case the feast of the saint is actually on a different day, that is, July 26th. The tomato can be tasted in many traditional and non-traditional recipes, all accompanied by music and fun.

Fiordilatte Festival

On the occasion of the patronal feast of St. Salvatore, on August 6th, the Fiordilatte Festival is held in the village of Schiazzano. Fiordilatte is one of the typical cheeses of Massa Lubrense but you can also taste the famous provolone del monaco and a great variety of local dairy products.

Eggplant Festival

The festival is held on August 15th in the village of Marina della Lobra to celebrate the feast of the Madonna dell’Assunta. For the religious anniversary, a procession takes place by sea to the rock of Vervece. Afterwards, in the evening, you can enjoy various eggplant-based dishes, including the famous chocolate eggplants.

29
Jun 22
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Spaghetti alla Nerano, primo piatto tipico del luogo.

Culinary traditions: Spaghetti alla Nerano

Category:Blog,Featured,Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Tradition

di Claudia Fontana

Marina del Cantone, a Massa Lubrense, è legata allo spaghetto con le zucchine fritte che, già dall’inizio del Novecento, ha assunto il nome di spaghetto alla Nerano. La salsa è preparata con le zucchine fritte, basilico e un mix di formaggi grattugiati. Per quanto riguarda i formaggi, le nonne utilizzavano quello che avevano in casa, pecorino ma soprattutto il parmigiano o la caciotta secca. I migliori ristoranti della zona, invece, utilizzano spesso il Provolone del Monaco, un formaggio tipico della costiera sorrentina. Questo è un formaggio DOP a latte crudo, contenente almeno il 20% di latte di vacca agerolese e invecchiato dai sei mesi in su. La cremosità della pietanza, inoltre, viene resa dalla cagliata di provolone fresco che si scioglie al contatto con l’acqua di cottura della pasta.

Per il piatto viene utilizzata la famosa pasta di Gragnano, soprattutto gli spaghettoni, ma c’è anche la versione con scialatielli o mezze maniche. Questa pasta è ottenuta dall’impasto della semola di grano duro con l’acqua della falda acquifera di Gragnano. In seguito, viene essiccata a una temperatura compresa tra i 40 e gli 80 gradi, per un periodo tra le sei e le sessanta ore, ottenendo quelle caratteristiche che la rendono inconfondibile. Per lo spaghetto alla Nerano è necessario utilizzare una pasta di qualità per una migliore riuscita del piatto, in modo tale che gli amidi rilasciati nella cottura aiutino la formazione della salsa.

Anche le zucchine, ovviamente, sono importanti nella riuscita di questo piatto, ma possono essere utilizzate zucchine di diversa qualità purché dell’orto e fritte in olio extravergine d’oliva. La mantecatura finale, fuori dal fuoco, prevede che sia l’acqua di cottura ad amalgamare i sapori e unire i formaggi. Non ci resta che dare la ricetta affinché chiunque, anche a casa propria, possa apprezzare il gusto dello spaghetto alla Nerano.

Ricetta dello spaghetto alla Nerano

Ingredienti per 4 persone:

400 g di spaghettoni artigianali
700 g di zucchine fresche
80 g di Provolone del Monaco grattugiato
80 g di Parmigiano Reggiano grattugiato
40 g di Pecorino Romano grattugiato
Basilico fresco
350 ml olio extravergine d’oliva + 150 ml olio d’arachide (per friggere)
Uno spicchio d’aglio
Sale e pepe nero q.b.

Lava e asciuga le zucchine, affettandole a rondelle di circa 2 millimetri di spessore. Friggile nella miscela d’oli a 180 gradi, finché sono dorate; scolale con una schiumarola e ponile a riposare su un piatto foderato di carta assorbente o per fritti. Sala, lava e asciuga il basilico e mettilo sulle zucchine appena cucinate.

Cuoci la pasta in abbondante acqua salata. Nel frattempo, in una padella di alluminio abbastanza grande fai soffriggere, in un giro abbondante d’olio extravergine, uno spicchio d’aglio a fuoco moderato. Quando è appena dorato, elimina l’aglio e aggiungi alla padella le zucchine già fritte, lasciandole sfrigolare a fiamma bassissima.

Scola gli spaghetti al dente e riserva la loro acqua, aggiungili alla padella e completa la cottura aggiungendo gradualmente circa due tazze dell’acqua di cottura. Qualche secondo prima di ritirare dal fuoco aggiungi il basilico e il pepe nero. Versa la pasta e zucchine in un’altra padella e aggiungi rapidamente i formaggi, mescolando continuamente e regolando la densità della crema con eventuale altra acqua di cottura. Buon appetito!

20
Apr 22
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Schiazzano: discovering the Provolone del Monaco

Category:Blog,Places Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Territorio Tradition

written by Claudia Fontana

Schiazzano is a small hamlet of Massa Lubrense and is one of the major production sites of Provolone del Monaco. The village, which has always been related to maritime trade, was in the past among the richest villages of Massa Lubrense. Today the inhabitants of Schiazzano continue to base their main activity on trade, agricultural activities and the production of typical products of the area.

The main center of the village is the church of SS. Salvatore, patron saint of Schiazzano. Built at the end of the sixteenth century on the remains of a fifteenth-century church, it was completed around 1624, as indicated by the date on the pediment of the entrance. The church represents the meeting center of the inhabitants of Schiazzano. Many of the restaurants and bars of the area overlook the square in front of the church.

Schiazzano, like the other hamlets of Massa Lubrense, is famous for its excellent gastronomy. Here you can taste the typical products of our land and try the traditional dishes.

On the occasion of the patronal feast of SS. Salvatore, on August 6th, the Fiordilatte Festival is held in the village of Schiazzano. Fiordilatte is another of the typical cheeses produced in the Massa Lubrense area. During the festival you can taste a great variety of local cheeses, which can be enjoyed plain or in traditional recipes, where they are used as the main ingredients.

In particular, the village is known for the production of Provolone del Monaco (= monk’s provolone), a specialty of the many dairies in the area.

Who is the “monk”?

This cheese has been produced since 1700 when, following the urban expansion of the city of Naples, the shepherds who lived on the Vomero moved to the Lattari Mountains and began to exploit the large pastures of the area.

Provolone del Monaco was produced in our lands and transported to Naples by sea. During their journey the transporters, to protect themselves from the cold and humidity, used to cover themselves with a large cloak similar to the one worn by the monks. Since then, the people who worked at the port of Naples began to call the transporter “Monaco” (= monk) and his cheese “Provolone del Monaco”.

The cheese is obtained with a more cooked curd than the caciocavallo. Maturation is slow and does not require the addition of preservatives or enzymes. The seasoning, which can also take place in the cave according to the production disciplinary, starts from a minimum of six months. There are many companies that, from Vico Equense to Massa Lubrense, have formed a protection consortium bringing this product to national and international attention.

22
Mar 22
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The typical products of Massa Lubrense

Category:Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products

by Claudia Fontana

The mild climate and the fertility of the lands of Massa Lubrense make this place rich and unique for the products that are produced. Since ancient times, in the area, very tasty fruits, cereals but above all oil and wine have been cultivated. The latter, according to the historian Cesare Capaccio, who lived between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries in the Kingdom of Naples, as well as being of excellent quality, it was “light and useful to the sick”. Nowadays the salad tomatoes, oil, cheeses, apples and lemons of Massa are very popular among citizens and visitors.

The tomato of Massa Lubrense has an intense red color and perfectly matches with the fiordilatte. Seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and a fresh basil leaf, it forms the famous Caprese, a delight for the most refined palates. Its cultivation dates back to the early twentieth century when, bringing the lemons to America, the sailors of the area imported the seeds.

The extra virgin olive oil, another one among the native products, comes from the olives of the wonderful olive groves sloping down to the sea. Its cultivation dates back to ancient times, and pilgrims, who brought the oil as a gift to the goddess Minerva in a sanctuary in Massa dedicated to her, believed that she was the inventor of olives and oil. Its color is yellow, tending to green, fluid, balanced and sweet, not very acidic.

The fiordilatte and the provolone del monaco are the specialties of the many dairies in the area. The latter has been produced since 1700 and is obtained with a more cooked curd than caciocavallo. Maturation is slow and does not require the addition of preservatives or enzymes. From Vico Equense to Massa Lubrense, many factories that produce provolone del monaco have formed a protection consortium bringing this product to national and international attention.

Another one among the products of this land is the famous limoncella apple. Of ancient origin, this type of apple is mainly linked to the village of Sant’Agata sui due golfi. The apple is named in this way because of its tart aroma, which is reminiscent of citrus fruits. It is also often used in the preparation of jams and pies.

But it is the prince of citrus fruits, the lemon, that is the most famous product of Massa Lubrense: it has a yellow pulp and is rich in essential oils and vitamin C. In the famous Lemon festival, held every year in the summer months in the center of Massa, the lemon is used in a thousand ways, from appetizers to desserts, on pizza and with cheeses. The abundant juice and the thin perfumed peel make it an ideal product for granita and the famous limoncello.

Author Archives: Claudia Fontana

Apr 23

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Festivals: an opportunity to get to know the area

Jun 22

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Culinary traditions: Spaghetti alla Nerano

Ricetta dello spaghetto alla Nerano

Apr 22

-

Schiazzano: discovering the Provolone del Monaco

Who is the “monk”?

Mar 22

-

The typical products of Massa Lubrense

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