'Nduja di SpilingaSpreadable spicy sausage
A soft, fiery pork salami blended with a huge dose of Calabrian chilli, spread on warm bread or melted into sauces - the emblem of Vibo Valentia.
porkCalabrian chilli
Calabria cuisine
Calabria cooks with fire and sun: the spreadable chilli sausage 'nduja, red onions of Tropea, swordfish from the Straits, and pork preserved every way. Its wines are led by the ancient Gaglioppo of Cirò and the Magliocco of the Cosenza hills, with Greco - dry on the coast, gloriously sweet at Bianco - for the whites.
Antipasto
SardellaChilli-cured whitebait paste
A fiery red paste of tiny whitebait (bianchetto) cured with chilli and wild fennel - 'the caviar of the poor' of the Crotone coast.
whitebaitchilliwild fennel
Wines to drink with it
- Magliocco A soft Magliocco red cushions the fish paste's chilli burn.
- Terre di Cosenza DOC A Cosentino red is the local partner for the spicy spread.
Primo
Fileja con Sugo di CapraTwisted pasta with goat ragù
Hand-twisted fileja pasta dressed with a long-cooked ragù of goat (or pork) and tomato, often with a hit of chilli.
fileja pastagoattomatochilli
Wines to drink with it
- Savuto DOC The Gaglioppo-Magliocco Savuto red matches the gamey goat ragù.
- Gaglioppo Gaglioppo's acidity and tannin cut the rich, spicy sauce.
Pasta e Patate alla TijellaBaked pasta and potato
Mixed pasta, potato, tomato, onion and pecorino baked together in a terracotta 'tijella' until crusted - Calabrian cucina povera.
mixed pastapotatotomatopecorino
Wines to drink with it
- Terre di Cosenza DOC A medium Cosenza red suits the humble, savoury bake.
- Magliocco Magliocco's soft dark fruit flatters the potato and tomato.
StruncaturaDark bran pasta with anchovy
A dark, wholemeal-bran pasta of the Piana di Gioia Tauro, dressed with anchovies, garlic, chilli and toasted breadcrumbs.
struncatura pastaanchovygarlicbreadcrumbs
Secondo
Pesce Spada alla GhiottaSwordfish in tomato, caper and olive sauce
Swordfish from the Straits of Messina stewed with tomato, capers, olives, celery and onion - shared with the facing Sicilian shore.
swordfishtomatocapersolives
Wines to drink with it
- Greco Bianco A dry Greco Bianco's body and salinity carry the meaty fish in its rich sauce.
- Lamezia DOC A Lamezia white is the local coastal match for swordfish.
Capretto al Forno con PatateRoast kid with potatoes
Young goat roasted with potatoes, wild herbs, garlic and chilli - the Sunday and festive roast of the Calabrian hills.
kid goatpotatoesherbs
Wines to drink with it
- Savuto DOC The structured Savuto red stands up to the gamey roast kid.
- Terre di Cosenza DOC A Cosenza Magliocco red is the everyday hill-country match.
Dolce
Pitta 'nchiusaSpiral nut-and-honey pastry
A coiled pastry (also 'pitta 'mpigliata') filled with walnuts, raisins, honey and spices - the festive sweet of the Sila and Catanzaro.
pastrywalnutsraisinshoney
Wines to drink with it
- Greco di Bianco DOC The famous sweet Greco passito of Bianco matches the honeyed, nutty spiral.