Get to know the food of Calabria Despite its natural beauty, Calabria doesn’t get as many visitors as you’d think. It’s still quite a rural, remote part of the country – although its largest city Reggio Calabria is usually busy as the port ferries people to and from Messina in Sicily, only 3km across the water. If you’re after a slower pace of life away from throngs of tourists and a true taste of southern Italian culture, however, Calabria is the perfect place – the coastal town of Tropea is particularly beautiful, with a white sandy beach that wouldn’t look out of place in the Caribbean.
Simple dishes that take humble vegetables and turn them into something stunning are commonplace, but there are exquisite artisanal gems to be found too. This is the home of ’nduja – the spreadable, spicy sausage which has taken the UK by storm – with the town of Spilinga holding a festival for the product every August. You’ll also find plenty of fish and seafood along the coast, as well as dishes flavoured with the local specialities of liquorice, chilli and bergamot.
Pasta and bread are important – as they are in most southern Italian regions – and they’re often brought to life with just a handful of extra ingredients. The local salumi are often sold in two flavours: picante (hot) or dolce (sweet). Our hero recipe from Calabria by Francesco Chiarelli “Every dish in Calabria is an expression of the territory and speaks its own language.
Each place follows its o.
