The cuisine of Caserta and its province is home cooking, born in the countryside of Terra di Lavoro from whatever the vegetable garden, the pig and the larder had to offer. We got to know it through the recipes that families hand down, with small variations from one village to the next. Here are the traditional dishes we recommend you try, or make again at home.
Minestra maritata
The queen of winter is minestra maritata, in dialect menesta 'mmaretata. The name means "married soup": here wild greens such as escarole, chicory, savoy cabbage and borage are "married" to a rich broth made from several cuts of pork, often with rinds, sausages and the prosciutto bone. It is prepared slowly, cooking the meat first and then the greens, and in many homes it is the dish of the year-end holidays.
Pettolelle and beans
A simple and tasty first course is pettolelle with beans: irregular strips of fresh handmade pasta, made with just flour and water, cooked directly in the beans until the dish turns creamy. It is the typical peasant pasta e fagioli, which we loved with a drizzle of new-season olive oil and a pinch of chilli.
Cardoon soup
For Christmas, many families in Campania and around Caserta prepare zuppa di cardone: a chicken broth in which cardoons and small meat meatballs are cooked and, at the end, eggs beaten with grated cheese are added. It takes a long time to prepare, and it tells you a lot about the value of the holiday.
Cianfotta and escarole pie
In summer it is the turn of cianfotta, a vegetable stew with aubergines, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, onion and basil. Each ingredient needs its own cooking time, and the result should not be watery: it is excellent lukewarm, with bread.
In winter, on the other hand, out of the oven comes pizza di scarola, a savoury pie filled with sautéed escarole, olives, capers, pine nuts, raisins and anchovies. It is also eaten the day after, and it is perfect to take on a day trip.
Festive sweets
The calendar of sweets follows that of the holidays. At Christmas come struffoli, little balls of fried dough coated in honey and decorated with coloured sprinkles and candied fruit. At Carnival people make migliaccio, based on semolina and ricotta, and at Easter pastiera, with cooked wheat, ricotta and orange blossom. For Saint Joseph's Day, in March, there are always zeppole.
Where to find these flavours
Many of these dishes can be found in the trattorias of the province, especially in their season. For products to buy and taste in the city, such as buffalo mozzarella and black pork cured meats, read What to eat in Caserta. And to go with them, browse our guide to the wines of Caserta.
In the surroundings
- Caserta and its surroundings, the guide for planning your trip.
- Mozzarella di bufala campana DOP, the signature product of the province.
- The traditions of the Matese, among the costumes and customs of the Caserta mountains.
- Casertavecchia, the medieval village where you can stop for lunch with a view.
Top photo (Caserta): Miguel Hermoso Cuesta, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
