Straddling history to discover our gastronomic roots. This is how it turns out that the famous Mediterranean dieta strong point of Italian flavors and healthiness at the table, has its origins in a specific period of our history and in a well-defined area: the Bourbon era in Kingdom of the Two Sicilies.
Full auditorium in Ostia for the conference “What future for the Bourbon cuisine of Campania”. Final assault on the tasting of the typical dishes brought to us from the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies
It took a crowded conference held today, Friday 17 May, at the prestigious headquarters of the Roma Tre University in Castelfusano to learn about the origins, curiosities and even recipes of our cuisine. Indeed, of Neapolitan cuisine made famous throughout the world by influencers and tiktokers rather than by the most appreciated chefs. “What future for the Bourbon cuisine of Campania”: this is the theme on which the speakers’ interventions revolved and which unleashed the flavors in the post-conference tastings. To organize the association “Campania in Tiberi” and the association Bpm1865.
The professor took turns at the microphone in the Aula Magna Luigi Compagnaformer full professor of History of political doctrines at Luiss and four-time parliamentarian (Origins and history of the Bourbon Kingdom of the Two Sicilies), the professor Livio Ciappettaprofessor of History Teaching at Unicusano and coordinator at the Castelfusano Hotel Management (Food prohibitions in the Bourbon Kingdom), the teacher Loreta Grande nutritionist and teacher of Food Science (How to evaluate the nutritional aspect of Bourbon cuisine) and Dr Giovanni Bianchiniformer Deputy DG of Banca Popolare di Milano (Climate change: causes and effects).
Campania dishes in the Bourbon era
There was a wealth of anecdotes revealed during the various interventions. For example, that theinvention of the four-pronged fork it is due to the monsù (cook) of King Ferdinand I: fond of macaroni (i.e. spaghetti) and tired of eating them with his hands, he ordered the creation of cutlery. King Ferdinand II was responsible for the valorisation of the Gragnano pastaL’use of sautéthe pizza spread And of mozzarella. It is no coincidence that the mozzarella in carrozza it was cooked for the first time under the reign of the Bourbons: it was the way to recover, through frying, the no longer fresh mozzarella and the stale bread that was grated.
Speaking of frying, street food was born in Naples during the Bourbon kingdom. He also tells it JW Goethe in his Grand Tour about Naples and the connection with cuisine. The poet wrote in 1787: In Naples “There is no season in which we do not see ourselves surrounded on all sides by edible products; the Neapolitan not only loves to eat but also demands that the goods on sale are beautifully presented”.
Neapolitan cuisine under the Bourbon kingdom is a fusion between French cuisine and local customs, especially in the consumption of vegetables “of the gardens of Vesuvius”. It is a classic example of this the married soupa soup composed of meats, cured meats and vegetables. The ragù, originally from France (contraction from the French ragoutant or appetizing, inviting), finds a sublime combination with San Marzano tomatoes in Campania. Less appreciated initially (so much so that locals considered it onebelly rinse“) and the Sartù Ricean imported and revised dish that will become radicalized during the Easter holidays: its name derives from the French sur-tout (above all).
And they are also French in nature but well received by the Neapolitans the meatballsif only for the etymological origin: in French paupiere is the eyelid, an aspect to which minced meat refers in the preparation of meatballs.
The diatribe on the origin of aranciniwhich tend to be attributed to Sicily, in Bourbon Naples was resolved with the creation of rice balls, completely similar even in the ingredients. However, the discussion still remains where parmigiana was born: in Sicily, in Naples or in Parma? We certainly know that the first preparations used courgettes and not aubergines.
They are certainly of Neapolitan origin and date back to the period of the Bourbon kingdom octopus Luciana style: they are typical of the fishermen who lived in the seaside village of Santa Lucia. That the lasagna that she was born in Naples, not everyone agrees: certainly one of her greatest admirers was Francis II of Bourbon, nicknamed King Lasagna. At Easter in the period of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies another dish was also established which is still prepared today: the chiena pizza. And a tribute to the queen is also a particular preparation (with stuffed puff pastry) of the pizza, Parisian pizza: it doesn’t mean that it comes from Paris but that it was cooked for a queen.
There are those who accredit the birth of gnocchi in Neapolitan at the time of the Bourbons. Before discovering the ductility of potatoes, the people of Campania prepared them with breadcrumbs soaked in milk and chopped almonds. Certainly the Bourbon Neapolitans invented the Potato gnocchi stuffed with mozzarella accompanied by scampi soup.
The sweets
There is news of the preparation of two typical desserts during the Bourbon reign: the babà and the pastiera. The baba it would have been imported from France and immediately loved by the people of Campania. Legend has it that it was originally a Polish dessert brought by the Tsar in exile in Paris. In a fit of anger the Polish nobleman spilled a bottle of rum on the cake which got soaked giving life to the baba. About the Neapolitan pastiera, legend traces this preparation back to pre-Roman times when in spring the locals brought symbolic foods such as flour, ricotta, eggs, wheat cooked in milk, orange blossoms and sugar. The recipe would then be codified in the sixteenth century by a nun from the convent of San Gregorio Armeno, in Naples.
The menu
The organizers (Michele Bove of Campani in Tiberi together with Sergio Adimari And Pasquale Maidecchi of Bpm 1865) took particular care of the final tasting which was particularly appreciated by the over two hundred guests who took part in the conference. The dishes served at the buffet are all decidedly Campanian in nature: Neapolitan lasagna, pasta omelette, meatballs with sauce, arancini, casatiello, babà and Sfogliatelle. All enjoyed with the imperial wines of the Avellino Montesole winery.
