A “gourmet” journey into the enchantment of the CINQUE TERRE. Local specialties, top restaurants, a super recipe and “do it yourself” pesto!
Cinque Terre, a a short piece of the Ligurian coastline, just West of the border with Tuscany.Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are five multi-colored borghi (villages) overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. They are pretty close to each other, a few minutes distance by car or train. Better yet, a boat, weather permitting, will take you back and forth, making an unforgettable five stop mini cruise. If you like to hike, you can also reach them via a beautiful trail and enjoy spectacular sea views.
Food wise, besides the classic products of Liguria, such as olive oil, pesto, walnut sauce and different varieties of focaccia, each “terra” (village with its surrounding land) has its own culinary specialties.
Superfine oil
An exquisite and precious oil, to be used raw as a condiment or to be enjoyed on bread with a pinch of bread. oregano, two olives and maybe a dried tomato. It is produced in limited quantities, coming from the pressing of the olives conferred by farmers residing within the territory of the Cinque Terre National Park. It maintains all the organoleptic characteristics derived from olives traditionally grown on terraced land, overlooking the sea of the Cinque Terre and represents the result of the centuries-old tradition of the territory.
In Riomaggiore the Luca & Guastalli Company produces the DOP Riviera Ligure Terre d’Amarela oil from organic cultivation of olives coming exclusively from our Riomaggiore olive grove in the Cinque Terre, while the Azienda Agricola l’Olio del Busanco di Giampietro Ferri produces the ‘extra virgin olive oil DOP obtained from olives from Busanco, a charming hill between Manarola and Riomaggiore, grazed directly from the plant and processed, solely by mechanical means, within 24 hours of harvesting.
Adopt a hive to save the planet
Bees are pollinating insects that are the foundation of our ecosystem. Today they are in danger of extinction, their breeding is the only way we have to save them. Since its foundation, the Lucchi & Guastalli Company, champion of environmental protection, has taken care of more than 40 beehives, located in Riomaggiore and invites consumers to adopt one. Among their wonderful honeys stand out those of heather, acacia and chestnut, characteristic blooms of the territory.
The chickpea farinata, typical of the whole territory, is a very low salty focaccia (less than a centimeter thick) cooked in a pan in a wood oven. In Cinque Terre it is also used to eat it as street food, often accompanied by fris de burbugiun (pumpkin fritters) or by tasty cones full of fried fish.
Anchovies, what a treat!
Lots of fish here, from cod fritters, to Vernazza gianchetti in batter, to stuffed mussels cooked in a casserole with sauce, up to the famous Monterosso anchovies which, following a centuries-old tradition, are fished with a seine net and a lamp, then processed by hand within two or three days, carefully layered in jars, pressed and covered with brine, making them tender and tasty and allowing perfect conservation. e.
“Pesto Experience”
In Manarola, Nessun Dorma produces, before your eyes, one of the most genuine pesto in the area and, on request, you can become a “pestaiolo chef”, following the “Pesto Experience” class, discovering its aromas and secrets and taking you home as well as yours. self made pesto also the mortar where to chop it.
The true classic recipe calls for Genoese basil leaves, a good pecorino cheese, pine nuts and excellent quality extra-virgin olive oil., But there are numerous variations: with walnuts, dried tomatoes or the irresistible Riviera with Taggiasca olives, produced from Italpesto.
The rice cake from Monterosso
Sweet – not sweet: it is a savory flan based on rice, eggs and ricotta and often enriched with a yellow saffron and red tomato color. His must is to taste it accompanied by a good glass of Cinque Terre white
Sciacchetrà, it ‘s time to toast!
Imagine: a secret bottle kept in the cave for years (sometimes more than 30). It is the rich and velvety wine called sciacchetrà. This ancient treasure is resurrected on the occasion of a wedding as the greatest gift the groom’s family can offer to the bride’s family. I had the privilege of opening a bottle that was over 10 years old. Intense color, from golden to amber shades. The taste is a fruity and floral bouquet reminiscent of a Mediterranean garden: hints of dried fruit, apricot jam, nectarines, vanilla, chestnut honey and spices.
Good or better than good…
Rio Bistrot, RiomaggioreA cantina de Manavan, CornigliaBelforte, VernazzaIl Pirata delle Cinque Terre, VernazzaCausa Persa, MonterossoDau Cila, Riomaggiore
I tried, I loved it!
Trattoria dal Billy , Manarola. I started with a great appetizer of 12 types of hot and cold fish, and then continued with a superb sea bass served with roasted potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and aromatic herbs, a perfect combination of the best the sea and the earth can offer. . Then the chef went back to my table and said: “Now you taste the sea bass eyes”. Well, a tip: don’t say no … you will discover a pleasant and tasty bite, not at all slimy, as you might have expected, I would say a spicy touch that brightens the delicate taste of the fish.
Da Aristide, Via Discovolo, 138 ManarolaNonna Grazia makes her famous sardines and her irresistible stuffed mussels.“It’s a simple recipe, says Nonna with a captivating smile, I make the filling with leftover bread, mussel pulp, eggs, parmesan, parsley and mortadella. I fill the mussels, cover them with a generous amount of fresh tomato sauce and basil, then bake them, that’s it! “
INFOINFO In the Cinque Terre the ideal period for trekking is from March to October, while the right time to savor its cuisine is… all year round!www.parconazionale5terre.it
