Ciuppin is a very seafood or fish soup made on the eastern Riviera, called the “Riviera di Levante” in Italian, which is south and east of Genoa on the Gulf of Tigullio. While regular fish stews might be made at the seaside by fishermen, ciuppin is a household dish made by women. Its ingredients and…
Ligurian Food
Liguria Olives
Liguria Olives are grown in Liguria, Italy (near the French border.) They are allowed to ripen on the tree until they are brown, purplish or black. They are cured in brine, sometimes with the stems left attached. Then they are packed in olive oil, citrus, fennel and garlic. The olives have shiny, tough skin and…
Polpettone di Fagiolini
Polpettone di Fagiolini are Ligurian style Polpettone. They are generally round-shaped. They are made from green beans, potatoes, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, egg, marjoram, oil, and salt. The Ligurians use the kind of slender green beans we call “filet beans.” Many versions of this exist, depending both on household and on the season. Some use…
Ponentine Olives
Ponentine Olives are pointed at the end. They are let ripen till purplish black, then brine-cured and packed in vinegar and oil. The olives are firm and crisp, with a mild taste. They are grown and processed in Ponente, in the western part of Liguria, Italy.
Prescinseua Cheese
Prescinseua is a fresh cheese, sort of halfway between ricotta and Greek yoghurt. It is both a clabbered cheese, and a cheese that uses rennet. It is spread on bread, stirred into sauces (even pesto) or served with sugar for breakfast. The cheese is made in Liguria, Italy, particularly in Valle Stura a Masone and…
Taggiasca Olives
Taggiasca is a type of olive grown in Ponente, the western part of Liguria, Italy. The tree is a cultivar; it can only be propagated by cuttings, not by seed. The tree starts bearing fruit after its third year. The trees are self-pollinating. Some Taggiasca trees over 600 years old still bear fruit. Its small…
Tagliolini
Tagliolini © Denzil Green Tagliolini is a pasta that is somewhat thicker than spaghetti, cut into long strips about 1/8 inch (3 mm) wide. Traditional in the Liguria region of Italy, it is usually made as a fresh pasta with egg in the dough. Tagliolini is very similar to tagliatelle, which is also made in…
Trenette Pasta
Trenette Pasta is similar to linguine and tagliatelle. It is relatively thick compared to those two, but thinner in width than linguine. It is made in Liguria, Italy, particularly Genoa, where it’s usually served with pesto sauce, or seafood. It is sold in dried form, either straight, or loosely curled into loose nests. Not the…
Trofie
Trofie is a pasta made in Liguria, Italy. It is long and straight, but twisty like a corkscrew. The dough is made from durum wheat flour and water. It is shaped into small ropes of pasta that are worked on a flat surface until they are round, then twisted. Some people wrap the formed rope…
Walnut Sauce
Walnut Sauce is a speciality in Liguria, Italy. It is a simple, thick, uncooked sauce, made from walnuts, marjoram, garlic, olive oil or water, and grated Parmesan. It is often served on chestnut gnocchi, or drizzled over a triangular-shaped, cheese-stuffed pasta called “pansotti al preboggion.” It can also be used as a dip for crudités…