Steamed mussels with pepper (Impepata di cozze, region Campania)

This is a traditional dish from Naples and can be consumed both as a starter or as main dish of fish.

It has long been considered a poor dish, unworthy of being considered part of the traditional Italian cuisine. In recent times it has been reassessed and is highly appreciated.

According to traditional beliefs, mussels are tastier if eaten during months without an “R” (gennaio, maggio, giugno, luglio agosto, that is January, May, June, July, August).

For a starter reduce the following ingredients by half.

Pici pasta (pici, region Tuscany)

The pici are a thick hand-made kind of pasta which originates from Southern Tuscany. It can be made of flour and water only, as the addition of egg yolks is optional and depends on local traditions.

Here’s the recipe to make the pasta, while in the next post you will find a recipe on how to make a fine fish sauce to go with your fresh pici.

Potatoes and peppers (Patate e peperoni, region Calabria)

Ingredients (4/6 servings)

potatoes – 800 g (choose a variety which is suitable to be fried)

red peppers – 300 g

yellow peppers – 300g

extra virgin olive oil

Optional:

rosemary or black olives or red onions (to be placed in the pan together with peppers and potatoes)

Monza style pasta (Pasta alla monzese, region Lombardia)

Ingredients (4 servings)

penne (a kind of pasta) – 350/400 g

mild lean pork sausage - 250 g

fresh cream - 250 g

saffron - 1 package

grated parmesan - 60 g

salt and pepper