There’s much more to the cuisine of Liguria than pesto – although this classic Italian sauce is certainly an important regional speciality. Liguria is one of Italy’s smallest regions. It extends along the coast from the French border – taking in the city of Genoa, the picturesque villages of the Cinque Terre, and glitzy Portofino. As you’d expect, fish frequently features on menus here. But the region also stretches away from the coast and into the mountains, where you’ll find some local specialities.
Fish dishes of Liguria - Capon Magro to Ciuppin
Fish dishes along the coast feature anchovies, as well as mussels from La Spezia, tuna and sometimes eel, crab, octopus and lobster. Perhaps the most famous fish dish is Capon Magro, which was once a stable food of poor fishermen – but is now one of the most expensive choices on any menu, because it’s time consuming to make. It’s made from salted rock fish, which is layered with ‘sailors’ bread (hard bread that’s soaked in vinegar) and topped with vegetables like courgettes, celery and wild herbs. Other fish specialities include Buridda – eel or cuttlefish with celery, mushrooms and pine-nuts or perhaps potatoes and peas; and Ciuppin, from the eastern Riviera – an anchovy rich fishy sauce with onions, garlic, parsley and peppers – and sometimes tomatoes and wine. It’s like a thick soup.
Wild herbs of Liguria
Ligurian olive oil is widely praised - the best coming from the terraced slopes of the hills - and it is an essential ingredient of many dishes. Herbs are used in many Ligurian recipes, particularly in the mountain regions where people were poor and the land was harder to farm. Pesto, the famous basil sauce, was often eaten on a slice of bread, and is still used as a garnish on Genoese minestrone soup. And mint is used in a sauce called Maro, which also contains fresh broad beans, cheese, garlic and oil. There’s also a stock called Preboggion, made using herbs like borage, wild chard, sow thistle and dog’s tooth together with spring cabbage.
Fast Food for FishermenVegetable pies also feature widely. They tend to be thin and flat, and can be eaten hot or cold. They were fast food for fishermen, who could cut a slice to take with them on the boat, or when they came home. There are many variations.
Trofie and CroxettiThe typical Ligurian pasta is known as trofie, made from a simple paste of flour, water, salt and chestnuts. The shape is rather like a fat, twisty worm with pointed ends. It was traditionally rolled into small twists on the cook’s thighs. Today it comes in several flavours as well as chestnut. In the mountains you will also find croxetti, round discs of pasta that are stamped with intricate patterns. You can find croxetti on sale in Varese Ligure, an attractive little town high in the mountains.
Chestnut FestivalChestnuts used to feature heavily in mountain cuisine, being ground into flour or dried and used in soups and stews. A chestnut festival is held in October. You'll also find meats like wild boar - cinghiale, and veal. A traditional meat dish is cima, which is rolled veal stuffed with a filling of eggs, vegetables and sometimes cheese.
For more information on Liguria read Liguria's Secret Valley
Recipes for pesto and battuto sauces
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