October 25th is the International Pasta Day, one of the most well-known symbols of Italy in the world, on a par with the Colosseum and Adriano CelentanoFor the occasion, we at itCaserta have decided to tell you about some of the many symbolic dishes that have as their protagonist the healthy and rigorous Italian pastaBut we warn you, this article may cause furious hunger pangs!
Spaghetti allo scarpariello: the symbol of Italian pasta according to the people of Aversa.
Beautiful to look at, tasty to eat: the spaghetti They are perhaps the ideal prototype of Italian pasta. Although our distant Eastern friends claim their paternity, it was we Italians who made them one of the most famous dishes in the world. In every Italian region, in fact, you can enjoy an infinite variety of first course combinations featuring spaghetti, and even here in the Caserta area we have our own version. We're talking about Scarpariello of Aversa, a dish with very ancient origins and a disputed one – regarding his birth – with the Neapolitans. The name takes its inspiration from the figure of the shoemaker (the shoemaker) because it was mainly consumed by these craftsmen. Often they were paid not in money, but with local products such as cherry tomato, lard e Chili pepperOnce back home, the wives then used the tasty spoils to prepare dinner.
According to another popular belief, the name scarpariello simply takes its name from the final shoe.
Pettolelle with Beans: A Poor Art in the Kitchen
Another very well-known dish is the pettolelle (o breasts) with beansThis is a humble first course from the Aversa countryside, which became popular after World War II. Given the poverty that afflicted much of the Caserta area, farmers and housewives found ways to exploit the few resources available. The uniqueness of this delicacy lies in its pasta, made fresh with very simple ingredients: flour, water, salt and, in some variations, eggsThe cut of the pasta vaguely resembles maltagliatia or delle fettuccine court, depending on the area and local tradition. The sauce is a stew based on beans cooked, in its richest and most complex variant, such as the Neapolitan ragout. The simple and easy version single, instead, requires a classic sauce based on beans and various herbs. The fundamental aspect is that it must be spot on and sticky.
La paste'e'llessa, or pasta and chestnuts!
From the Aversa area we approach Caserta, in that area Macerata CampaniaHere a first course based on pasta and chestnuts is very popular, known as paste'e'llessa (or simply Pastellessa). Its origin is linked to the figure of Antonio DiMatteo, in art Uncle Antonio 'e PastellessIn the early twentieth century, Uncle Antonio had a very popular tavern and used to serve, on the occasion of Feast of Sant'Antuono, short pasta seasoned with a sauce based on boiled chestnuts from RoccamonfinaThe dish immediately became famous both for its deliciousness and for its paternal figure, Uncle Antonio, the undisputed protagonist of the town's celebrations.
