Curious facts and recipes about Italian cuisine made in Calabria

The grouper is a highly prized fish with a very delicate taste. It can be prepared in the oven, in carpaccio, as a filling for delicious rolls or to season pasta. The recipe we propose is based on a first course: Paccheri with grouper, an excellent dinner saver when guests arrive at the last moment and you want to prepare a tasty dish in no time. Below is the recipe for four people to follow step by step.

Recipe ingredients Paccheri with grouper

• 350g of paccheri
• 300g grouper fillets
• 1 clove of garlic
• Half a glass of white wine
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• Chilli pepper to tast

How to make Paccheri with grouper

After having properly cleaned the grouper fillets, we proceed by reducing them to small chunks. In a pan, pour two rounds of extra virgin olive oil and brown 1 clove of garlic and, if desired, a piece of hot pepper.

Add the chunks of grouper and cook for a couple of minutes before blending with white wine. Season with salt and pepper and finish cooking.

We boil our paccheri in abundant salted water, drain them al dente and arrange them in a pan together with the chunks of grouper. We mix gently, cook over low heat without a lid for a few minutes, then plate and serve seasoned with a few drops of our delicate and tasty lemon EVO oil.

The tart is one of the classic grandmother's cakes that you can prepare by filling it with creams and fruit to your liking. What we are showing you today is the recipe for Crostata with fig and chocolate jam. As jam we use our Fig and Cinnamon Delight, an organic product with a unique flavour which, when combined with chocolate, becomes the right element for a mouth-watering dessert. 

Ingredients for the Tart with fig jam and chocolate

• 300g 00 flour
• 2 eggs
• 150g sugar
• 100g butter
• 200g fig and cinnamon jam
• 50g dark chocolate

How to make the Tart with fig jam and chocolate

In a fairly large bowl, sift the flour, add the sugar and the cold, diced butter. Knead coarsely, then add the eggs and knead the dough into a smooth dough ball.

Place the dough ball wrapped in cling film in the refrigerator and let it rest for about an hour. Meanwhile, line a baking tray with baking paper. Recover the dough ball and cut one third of it into strips of dough that will cover our tart. Spread the remaining dough in the lined baking tin, raising the edges slightly to accommodate the jam.

Spread the fig jam evenly over the disc of pastry, then add the dark chocolate, reduced to flakes. With the shortcrust pastry set aside we make strips that we will place in a lattice shape on our tart. We preheat the oven to 180°.

Put the tart in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the edges begin to darken. Take the tart with fig jam and chocolate out of the oven and let it cool before eating.

Peppermint can be used in combination with liquorice to make an excellent liqueur, which is also easy to make at home

After the excellent results obtained last year, the year 2022 has got off to a great start for the Calabrian liqueur maison which, once again this year, is racking up awards

In this quick and easy recipe, we'll show you how to prepare Strozzapreti with lemon, a fresh and tasty dish.

At the World Liqueur Awards 2022, Amaro Milone was honoured as the best in the world. With its strong and decisive taste, the bitter brings back the flavour of tradition

Rice salad is a quick and appetising dish, ideal to prepare during the warmer seasons. Fresh and lighter than a classic hot first course, enriched with the right ingredients, it can be transformed from a simple recipe into a delicious dish. In this recipe we have deliberately not mentioned mayonnaise as an ingredient, but if you want to make the dish tastier, feel free to add a few tablespoons. 

Ingredients for rice salad with smoked salmon and cherry tomatoes

• 350g rice
• 200g smoked salmon
• 300g cherry tomatoes or similar
• Arugula to taste (if desired)
• Extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste

How to prepare the rice salad with smoked salmon and cherry tomatoes

Boil the rice in plenty of salted water, taking care to drain it al dente. Put it in a bowl and let it cool at room temperature.

Prepare the smoked salmon by cutting it into strips of equal thickness; if you like, add a few leaves of washed rocket to the salmon.

Remove the stalks from the cherry tomatoes, cut them into small cubes and add them to the previously prepared ingredients. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and stir gently to mix all the flavours together.

Add the rice and mix everything together, leaving it to cool in the fridge before serving.

A very tasty recipe to accompany meat or polenta dishes. Also great with fish, eggs and cheese.

How to make an excellent courgette omelette without using oil. A great dish that can also be used as a finger food for your hors d'oeuvres.

A quick and easy second course, cooking in red wine gives the steak a very special flavour.