Hailing from a region of seafood and spice, these Italian recipes will transport your tastebuds to one of the top culinary capitals of the world.
As a bridge across generations, a catalyst for conversation, and a treasure to be savored slowly, food is essential to Italian life and culture. All 20 regions of Italy enjoy their own delicacies of Italian cuisine, but the heartiest, tangiest, and freshest meals come from the heart of the south, straight from its turquoise shores onto steamy plates where seafood and starch meet Sicilian spice. Here are a few of our favorite Southern Italian recipes sure to bring the zesty flavors of Italy to life in your own kitchen:
Primi
Orecchiette con Cime di Rapa (Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe)
A staple of the Puglia region, orecchiette pasta translates directly to “little ears” for its small cup shape perfect for transporting delectable sauces from plate to mouth. Authentic orecchiette pasta is made fresh in small Southern Italian towns like Alberobello, and traditionally paired with a sauce made from turnip tops, garlic, and oil. Be sure to try out this delectable recipe from Eataly at home to experience the wholesome simplicity of Italian cuisine.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry orecchiette
- 10 ounces broccoli rabe, rinsed & chopped
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
- ¼ cup grated aged pecorino, preferably from Puglia
- Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
- 1 clove garlic
- Sea salt, to taste
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add salt and cook the broccoli rabe until tender (3 to 5 minutes).
- Remove the broccoli rabe and run under cold water. Squeeze as much excess water as possible out of the broccoli rabe and chop roughly. Set aside.
- Bring the water back to a boil, then add the orecchiette pasta, cooking until it is al dente (about 12 minutes or according to package instructions).
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan. Peel and crush the clove of garlic and sauté until golden-brown. When the pasta is cooked, drain and add it to the pan, along with the remaining olive oil and the chopped broccoli rabe. Toss over medium heat until combined, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat, sprinkle on the grated cheese and crushed red pepper flakes and toss to combine. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and serve immediately.
Secondi
Branzino
Also known as the European bass, branzino is a treasured white fish popular within Italian cuisine and served on menus all around the world to be enjoyed by international restaurant-goers craving a taste of Southern Italy. The prized catch of the Mediterranean, branzino is a delicate white fish prepared with very minimal ingredients to enrich the mild, flaky, and slightly sweet taste of the classic Italian dish. Giada De Laurentiis’ authentic pan-seared branzino brings all of the vibrant flavors of the Amalfi coast to life in every bite.
Ingredients
- 4 skin-on fillets of branzino
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 cup pitted niçoise olives, halved
- 3 tbsp dry white wine
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Directions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the branzino fillets with paper towels until dry, and check to make sure there are no remaining small bones in the flesh. Score the skin side of the fish with a sharp knife, making 3 shallow cuts on a slight diagonal on each fillet. Season the fillets evenly on all sides with salt.
- Pour olive oil in the hot pan. Place the fillets in the pan, skin- side down. Press gently on each fillet to make sure the skin has full contact with the hot pan. Allow the fish to cook undisturbed for 3 minutes. Using a fish spatula, gently flip each fillet and cook for another 30 seconds on the flesh side. Remove the branzino to a platter, skin-side up, and keep warm.
- Add the tomatoes, capers, and olives to the hot pan. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often with a wooden spoon. Add the white wine, reduce to medium heat, and cook for an additional 2 minutes to reduce the wine by half. Add the butter and parsley, swirling the pan to incorporate the butter as it melts. Spoon the sauce over the branzino and serve.
Dolci
Lemon Pistachio Pound Cake
The emerald of the south, Italian pistachios are grown and harvested in the countryside of Bronte, a Sicilian town where the black ashy soil from Mt. Etna creates fertile terrain for the most expensive variety of the pistachio family. Many Southern Italian dishes utilize the nearby abundance and availability of the Bronte pistachio, adding a rich, nutty flavor to starchy dishes and even many desserts. Mimi Thorisson’s pistachio and lemon pound cake from her Old World Italian recipe book perfectly balances the smooth, earthy flavor of Bronte pistachios with a zesty kick from the widely celebrated Sicilian lemon.
Ingredients
- 12 tablespoons/ 180g unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
- 1 cup/ 200g granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup/ 145g whole-milk Greek yogurt
- 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons/ 250g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 cup/ 90g pistachio flour (see note)
- Grated zest of 2 lemons
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup/ 60g pistachio paste (see note)
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted pistachios
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Grease a 9 x 5-inch / 23 x 12cm loaf pan with butter.
- In a large bowl, beat the granulated sugar and butter with a whisk until creamy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the yogurt and mix. Add the all-purpose flour, pistachio flour, two-thirds of the lemon zest, and the baking powder. Mix gently. Stir in the pistachio paste. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 40 minutes, or until a long skewer or cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then place onto a rack.
- Garnish with the chopped pistachios, remaining lemon zest, and a dusting of powdered sugar and serve.
Note: If you can’t find pistachio flour, process 3 ounces of shelled, unsalted pistachios in a food processor. If you also can’t find pistachio paste, process 1 ½ cups of pistachio flour with a few splashes of water until smooth.
Pair all three dishes together for a traditional Italian meal bursting with all the flavors of the Mezzogiorno region where food is at the very core of southern pride. Mangia bene, kick back with some vino, and enjoy.
