The best local products of the Amalfi Coast
A great way to learn something about a place you are visiting is exploring the local cuisine, since it is the result of the economic and cultural evolution of its community.
This is true also for the local products of the Amalfi Coast, which are exceptionally good!
Whether you want to try them at the restaurant or take them home as a souvenir, here is a list of those you cannot miss.
WHICH ARE THE BEST LOCAL PRODUCTS OF THE AMALFI COAST?
1) Fish and Colatura di Alici from Cetara
Our list must start with the fish. After all, the towns along the Amalfi coast overlook a sea as beautiful as it is rich in fish.
Among the local products we should mention:
- the pezzogna.
It is a fish that lives in the depths of the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is very tasty since it eats shrimp and shellfish; - the squid of Praiano.
The fishermen of the town of Praiano are specialized in fishing for these shellfish, which they then cook together with potatoes, oil and garlic; - the anchovies of Cetara.
Anchovies are good, but Colatura di Alici is better! Colatura di Alici is a sauce based on fermented anchovies, and it is excellent for flavoring pasta, salads and other dishes.
2) Lemons and the Limoncello from Sorrento
The entire Amalfi Coast is dotted with lemon trees.
The three most common varieties are Sfusato di Amalfi, Ovale di Sorrento, Femminiello di Capri.
People of the Amalfi Coast use lemons a lot, not just for seasoning fish. For example, lemon juice is the main ingredient in Spaghetti al Limone or in desserts such as Delizia al Limone, while the Limoncello liqueur is produced with macerated peels.
3) Pasta from Gragnano and Ndunderi from Minori
If you think about Italian cuisine, we are sure that the first things that comes to mind is pasta.
The Pasta from Gragnano is one of the local products of the Amalfi coast.
Like other types of pasta, that of Gragnano is made with durum wheat semolina and water. What makes it special is the quality of the raw materials. The land on which the wheat grows enjoy a particular microclimate, while the water is collected from local aquifers.
Also the town of Minori was famous for the production of pasta, but its local product are the Ndunderi. These are a kind of gnocchi, added with ricotta cheese and seasoned with ragù, a meat sauce.
4) Pizza of Tramonti
Pizza is the most popular Italian dish. What not everyone knows is that it was created in Tramonti, a town on the Amalfi coast.
The pizza of Tramonti dates back to the Middle Ages, when bakers used to prepare a flat bread with rye flour and other cereals flours, flavored with spices and lard.
In more recent centuries, thanks to immigration, the pizza makers of Tramonti brought pizza to northern Italy and then to the rest of the world.
5) The cheese
Close to the Amalfi coast are the Lattari Mountains. That is a region with a long dairy tradition.
The mozzarella fior di latte is certainly the most local cheese of the Amalfi coast. But also ricotta of Tramonti and Provolone del Monaco are absolutely worth trying.
6) The desserts
During a trip to the Amalfi Coast you must absolutely try some desserts. Here are some of our favorites:
- Delizia al Limone, translatable in lemon delight.
It is a sponge cake dome filled with lemon cream and covered with lemon glaze; - Eggplant with Chocolate.
You read that right! People of Maiori prepare a dessert with fried eggplants covered with dark chocolate and almond flakes. Although it may seem strange, it is really good; - Pasticciotto of Atrani.
In its original version, the pasticciotto is a baked basket of dough filled with custard and black cherry jam, but there are versions with chocolate or orange.
