Tag Archives: Tradition

Struffoli: the origins and recipe

Category:Blog,Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Tradition

Struffoli are a typical desserts of the Christmas tradition in Massa Lubrense and, more generally, of the southern gastronomic tradition, mainly the Neapolitan one.

Also known as strangolapre(ve)te, struffoli look like small balls of sweet dough fried and then dipped in honey, decorated with colored sugared almonds and citron. A true delight that cannot be missed on Christmas dessert tables.

The origins of this dessert with a typically Neapolitan taste have much further roots. Well yes, according to tradition, it was the ancient Greeks who brought struffoli to the Gulf of Naples. In fact, it is precisely from the Greek that the name of this typical dessert derives, more precisely from the word “strongolus”, i.e. from the rounded shape. Another theory still linked to the etymology of the term would be that “struffolo” derives from the verb to rub to indicate the gesture made by those who work the dough, to roll it into a cylinder before cutting it into balls. According to others, struffoli are called like this because they rub the palate due to their goodness.

In Naples, once upon a time, struffoli were prepared in the convents by the nuns of the various orders and given as gifts for Christmas to noble families who had distinguished themselves for acts of charity. Probably, struffoli have become a typical Christmas dessert because one of the fundamental ingredients is honey, an element closely linked to the Catholic and Christian symbolism regarding love.

Today, struffoli are part of the Campania confectionery tradition, but each central-southern region has its own version. In Calabria and Basilicata they are known as “cicirata” due to their resemblance to chickpeas, in Abruzzo they are called “cicerchiata” because they resemble grass peas and in Palermo they are called “strufoli“. Each southern region prepares them according to its own traditions and recipes handed down from family to family.

The traditional recipe

Ingredients for the dough

• 200g of sugar
• 500g of flour
• 4 eggs
• 60g of butter
• 1 orange peel
• 1 lemon peel
• 1 pinch of salt
• 15g of anise liqueur
• 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon of vanilla
• peanut oil for frying

Ingredients for decorating

• 175g of wildflower honey
• silver sprinkles and food decorations
• 30g of candied citron
• 30g of candied cherries
• 30g of candied orange

Preparation of struffoli

Mix the flour, sugar, butter and eggs, the grated lemon and orange, a pinch of salt, the glass of anise, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl. Knead until you create a compact dough, cover it with a clean cloth and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 6/7 equal parts with a knife and cut into smaller and smaller parts until you obtain the struffoli of the right size. Place the struffoli on a cloth and fry them for 3 minutes in boiling oil and mix to obtain even cooking and browning. Once ready, transfer the struffoli to a tray covered with absorbent paper to remove excess oil. In the meantime, melt the honey in a saucepan.

Cut the cherries, citron and candied orange into cubes. Add everything to the struffoli, pour in the honey and mix well with a wooden ladle until the struffoli are completely wrapped in honey and leave to cool.

Transfer the mixture onto a serving plate and complete the dessert with decorations, sugared almonds and candied fruit. And now, all that remains is to taste the typical Christmas dessert!

Myrtle liqueur: between history and production

Category:Blog,Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Tradition

Myrtle liqueur is a digestive obtained from the maceration of ripe myrtle berries. It is popular in various areas of Italy, being the myrtle plant (Myrtus communis) typical of the Mediterranean maquis.

In Massa Lubrense, the plant is present along the slopes most exposed to the sun, where it grows from sea level up to an altitude of 500 meters above sea level. It is possible to find it, for example, on the sides of the path that leads to the Bay of Ieranto or along the Sentiero delle Sirenuse.

This digestive liquor is a tradition rooted in Massa Lubrense and is produced both in local homes and in specialized distilleries present in the area. It is loved not only for its unique flavor, but also for its historical connection to the culture and tradition of this region.

Homemade production often involves recipes passed down from generation to generation, while commercial distilleries prepare it on a larger scale, helping to spread its distinctive taste throughout the territory.

The myrtle plant

Scientifically called Myrtus communis, the myrtle plant belongs to the Myrtaceae family and has intense green leaves that give off pleasant smells. It is an evergreen shrub typical of the Mediterranean scrub, which prefers a mild climate. But it can also resist the frosts, if protected and sheltered from the bad weather.

Solitary and elegant, the flowers are simple and white in colour. According to phenology, the plant flourishes between the months of May and June and bears fruit around October and November for the harvest of its berries.

The origins

Its origins are very ancient and shrouded in mystery. Traces of myrtle plant already appear in ancient Egyptian and Arab written documents. It is said that the ancient Egyptians decorated their cities with myrtle branches during the holidays, attributing to the plant a divine power capable of warding off evil spirits, catastrophes and diseases.

Furthermore, it was also the sacred plant of Aphrodite. In the myth, the plant protected Aphrodite’s virtues from the malicious gaze of satyrs. Therefore, it is considered a plant that represents love, fertility and eros and was used, in fact, as an aphrodisiac remedy or to adorn wedding banquets.

The Harvest

Harvest period begins in November, when the berries are maturing, and extends until January. According to the artisan myrtle producers, however, the best period for harvesting is the month of December, when the berries are neither too raw nor too cooked. The secret to understanding whether the berries can be harvested is revealed to us by the presence of the bloom. A substance produced by the fruits themselves on their surface which makes the myrtle berry an opaque blue color and which gives the fruit an intense and strong flavou

The myrtle picking takes place almost exclusively by hand. Although this type of harvesting affects speed, it is preferable due to its minimal impact on the plant and the ability to preserve all the characteristics of the berries intact.

Once picked, fresh berries must be immediately processed for the production of the liqueur.

The recipe

Myrtle liqueur’s preparation is long but simple at the same time.

Ingredients (for 2 litres):

• 1 l of water
• 500 g myrtle berries
• 500 g granulated sugar
• 1 l of pure alcohol (90°)

Preparation:

Take the myrtle berries, wash them under running water and place them in a strainer to eliminate impurities. Leave a few small leaves if you want.

Once washed, leave to dry for 2 or 3 days on some clean cloths. At this point, place the myrtle berries together with the alcohol in a glass container with hermetic closure, essential for maintaining aromas and perfumes intact. Store the container in a dark, cool place for approximately 40-50 days.

After the resting time, drain the berries.Using a clean cloth, squeeze the berries gently to extract the juice.

In the meantime, boil the water on the stove and when it has almost reached boiling temperature, begin to slowly dissolve the sugar. Once the syrup composed of water and sugar has cooled completely, add the alcohol flavored with myrtle berries and mix the resulting liqueur with a wooden spoon. Using a strainer, filter the liqueur and then, using a funnel, transfer it into the glass bottles.

Before tasting the myrtle liqueur, it must rest in a cool place for at least a month. Then all that remains is to sip the excellent digestive with its typically Mediterranean aroma at room temperature.

The recipe of the babà

Category:Blog,Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Tradition

The babà is a very soft yeast cake, wet with rum and mushroom-shaped. It is a typical product of traditional Neapolitan pastry.

Originally it was a natural leavening cake from Poland and other Slavic countries, then it was perfected by French cooks before arriving in Naples. It is said that the recipe for rum babà in the typical modern mushroom form dates back to 1835 and is attributed to the famous pastry chef Nicolas Stohrer, who would have invented it on the occasion of the wedding of Maria Leszczyńska with the king of France Louis XV.

Another story tells that the king, known for his ugly character, had thrown the cake against a cupboard crushing a bottle of rum, which ended up soaking the cake and that his father-in-law tasted it and thought it was excellent.

The babà has fully entered the tradition of Neapolitan pastry both in the form of donut served with whipped cream, both smaller with custard and black cherry, or oblong mushroom-shaped of various sizes. It can be filled with cream and fruit salad, chantilly cream and strawberries, mascarpone and limoncello cream, hazelnut cream, citrus cream, with pistachio and fresh raspberries. Even were also made savory versions very tasty with meats and cheeses such as provolone, scamorza, Gruviera or pecorino.

In short, there are endless reinterpretations of this timeless sweet symbol of Italian culinary culture, but especially Neapolitan. Below we propose the indications to replicate at home the traditional version.

Recipe of the babà

Ingredients for the babàs

• 125 g flour
• 50 g butter
• 2 whole eggs (large)
• 1 yolk
• 15 g milk
• 15 g sugar
• 15 g brewer’s yeast
• a pinch of salt

For the syrup:

• 500 g water
• 250 g sugar
• 250 g rum
• 1 lemon

1. To start preparing babas with rum, briefly mix flour and yeast in the stand mixer with the hook, or by hand. Add milk, eggs and yolk, previously mixed and work for a few minutes until smooth. To avoid lumps, add the egg and milk mixture while the mixer is running or, if you are working by hand, keep mixing. Add sugar and mix. Finally add salt and butter, softened at room temperature. The dough should be soft, almost liquid.
2. Then put the dough in a sac à poche. Pour it, then, into the molds, and fill up to about 1 cm from the edge. Leave to rise for about 30 minutes at 30 ºC in the oven. Turn off the light.
3. Bake at 180 ºC in a ventilated oven preheated for about 13 minutes. The babas will be ready when they can be easily removed from the mould. You can cut the bottom of a babà and check the alveolature of the dough. Unmold and let cool very well.

The syrup

1. To prepare the cake syrup: in a saucepan heat water, sugar and lemon peel. Boil it and then filter. Add rum. Put the syrup in a bowl and, when it is still warm, completely immerse the babas for a few moments. Drain on a cake rack.
2. Put them in the fridge for 1 hour before serving to enjoy them. Rum babas, before being wet, can be stored in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer, until the evening before use, tightly closed in a food bag.

Liqueurs of Massa Lubrense

Category:Blog,Food Tags : Gastronomia Local Products Tradition

Le località della Penisola Sorrentina sono famose per la produzione di liquori. Usufruendo dei prodotti locali, si ottengo distillati dal gusto inconfondibile.

Il limoncello

Tra i liquori di Massa Lubrense è impossibile non citare il Limoncello. La spessa buccia dei limoni locali, ricca di oli essenziali e dall’aroma molto deciso, è l’ingrediente principale della produzione.
Si tratta del liquore simbolo della costiera sorrentina, nato agli inizi del 1900 e amato in tutto il mondo.

La preparazione secondo la tradizione inizia con il lavaggio del frutto. In una brocca vengono poi inserite le scorze insieme all’alcol alimentare e il tutto viene lasciato in macerazione per circa un mese. Successivamente, al composto viene aggiunta dell’acqua precedentemente portata a ebollizione con lo zucchero e poi fatta raffreddare, insieme a dell’altro alcol. Il tutto viene fatto riposare per altri 40 giorni. L’infuso viene poi filtrato e sistemato in delle bottiglie.

In Campania questo liquore è solitamente gustato come digestivo dopo pranzo o dopo cena. È utilizzato per la preparazione di dolci come il babà o la delizia al limone, un soffice pan di spagna bagnato al limoncello, farcito con crema pasticcera aromatizzata e decorato con ciuffetti di panna e scorza di limone. Un dessert dal sapore unico.
Nel periodo estivo viene utilizzato anche per arricchire gelati o granite.

Molto comune è anche la Crema di Limoncello. Differenza rispetto al classico liquore è l’uso del latte al posto dell’acqua. In questo modo il gusto sarà più dolce, dalla consistenza cremosa. Ottimo da gustare da solo, ancor di più da accompagnare ai dolci.

Liquore alle noci

Anche le noci di Sorrento sono tra i prodotti tipici della zona. Secondo la tradizione vanno raccolte il 24 giugno, nel giorno di San Giovanni, e ancora acerbe vanno utilizzate per la macerazione. Il liquore – chiamato nocillo o nocino – acquisisce un colore marrone scuro con riflessi tendenti al nero e un profumo intenso e persistente. L’invecchiamento ne esalta il gusto amaro, apprezzabile al meglio quando servito a temperatura ambiente.

Il mirto

Il mirto è un pianta che cresce spontaneamente nell’area mediterranea. Il liquore è prodotto dalle sue bacche mature, in macerazione per circa 40 giorni. Appena preparato, in genere ha una colorazione molto scura, tendente al nero con riflessi violacei, e un gusto astringente. Dopo diversi mesi vira al rosso rubino, il gusto è più armonico e vellutato. Si tratta di un ottimo digestivo da gustare freddo.

Liquore di mela annurca

L’annurca è una varietà di mela con marchio I.G.P. che cresce su tutto il territorio campano. È un frutto molto amato, ricco di vitamine e minerali, dalle note proprietà benefiche. Raccolta ancora acerba, termina la sua maturazione al sole, assumendo il caratteristico colore rosso e un sapore che la rende unica. Utilizzando i semi se ne produce un liquore aromatizzato, dal gusto fruttato e molto delicato. Altre versioni della ricetta oltre i semi prevedono anche l’uso delle bucce. Il tutto viene lasciato macerare per circa un mese e mezzo. Il liquore assume poi un colore tenue, tendente al rosso. Solitamente è consumato a fine pasto, ma può essere utilizzato anche per la preparazione di dolci, ad esempio come bagna.

Liquori alle erbe

A Massa Lubrense viene prodotta una grande varietà di liquori alle erbe. Ne è un esempio il liquore al finocchietto, perfetto digestivo fresco. Per la produzione si utilizzano prevalentemente i semi della pianta, oltre che le foglie. Viene servito a temperatura ambiente.

Il liquore alla liquirizia, dal colore nero intenso, ha invece un gusto più deciso e una consistenza più densa e cremosa. L’ingrediente principale è la radice della pianta. Da non perdere se siete amanti del suo caratteristico sapore!

Il profumo delle erbe mediterranee è concentrato nel liquore alle dodici erbe. Tra queste menta, basilico, alloro, rosmarino, ginepro, camomilla, foglie di tè, chiodi di garofano. Liquore dal gusto aromatico, è indubbiamente un ottimo digestivo.

Liquore all’arancia e al mandarino

Oltre al classico limoncello, nella zona si produce anche un liquore a base di arancia. Quest’ultima, come il limone, ha una buccia spessa e molto profumata, in contrasto con la polpa leggermente acre. Ne viene fuori un prodotto dal sapore inconfondibile.
Il liquore al mandarino della penisola sorrentina, prodotto sempre per macerazione delle sue bucce, ha un gusto dolce e più delicato.

Grappe

Nel territorio si trovano anche le classiche grappe, come la barricata, dal colore ambrato, o la grappa di Barbera. Le bacche utilizzate per le produzioni provengono dai vitigni del Piemonte.

Questi distillati, oltre a essere gustabili sul luogo, sono un perfetto souvenir da portare a casa o regalare!