In Italy we say: “Country you go to, food you find” that means that every country has its own traditional dishes. In the USA, for example, grilled meats are a must. In China you cannot fail to like rice spaghetti, in Britain to try porridge or in France soupe à l'oignon (onion soup) where it is a true national flag. And we could continue.

In Italy, each region has its own distinctive dish. All over the world, we Italians are called “maccheroni”. We are proud of this nickname, not only for the excellence of the homonymous pasta cult of Campania, but also - and above all I would say - for the Maccarruni ‘i casa’ from Calabria.

I recently tasted them at La Calemma in Marina di San Lorenzo, a restaurant managed by two brothers: Salvatore and Paolo Battaglia.

I have never eaten such good pasta! It is a “born poor” dish, emblem of the Sunday meeting of the family at the table, almost an ancestral ritual.

Mom Erminia prepared the pasta for us - five friends of the Chaîne. The ingredients? Only local wheat flour, salt and water. Once the dough mix is ready, it must be rolled, then pulled and cut into pieces of about 10cm. The strips are then rolled up on thin reeds (stalks from wild vegetation). Today almost always replaced by underwiring which removes a bit of poetry, but certainly not the value of the work.

The boiling is very important. There’s no timing reveals Salvatore Battaglia. It’s down to the experience of those who are cooking. Simply to be attentive to the fragrance of starch that is being released.

Next the Maccarruni should be poured into a pan with sauce. Then mixed until the starch explodes! A cream is created by mixing with the sauce that, in Calabria, is always made with unstoppable tomatoes and pork or goat’s meat (in the local dialect: ca carni 'i crapa).

We tried the first version. It was really exceptional! Of course, a great contribution was given by the combination with the perfect red, a Cirò Rosso Gaglioppo … also from Calabria, obviously!

Bruno Peloi
Chargé de Presse

Ristorante La Calemma
C.da A. Manzoni
89069 Marina di San Lorenzo
Italy
Phone +39 347-1108870
Website: www.lacalemma.it
E-mail: [email protected]