The yellow of lemons, the intense green countryside, the blue sea…. in Amalfi Coast the territory and cuisine are one thing. The lemons uniquely mark the landscape of the coast with their terraced crops, which here are called “gardens”, and are also the protagonists of many typical recipes, of the famous limoncello liqueur and desserts such as babà, ice cream, but also ricotta ravioli flavoured with grated peel and slices of smoked mozzarella between the lemon leaves. Fish dishes are certainly the pride of a land that has always linked its history to the sea. In Amalfi, fresh clams are served as a condiment for the famous handmade pasta, the Scialatielli di Amalfi. Another typical dish is the maritata soup, cooked with vegetables boiled in chicken broth and the “pezzenta”, the local sausage made of pork steak and offal. As you come away from Amalfi you will come across the typical specialities of Minori, such as homemade pasta with “ndunderi”, the local ricotta cheese. But the cuisine of the Amalfi Coast offers other dishes with typical and unobtainable flavours, such as the Sarchiapone di Atrani, prepared with long cylinders of pumpkin, local cheese and minced meat, all cooked in tomato, or the dish “totani e patate” from Furore. Each city on the Amalfi Coast has its own history that translates into dishes that enhance the taste of typical products. The most popular second courses are fish, seafood and crustaceans. As far as desserts are concerned, it is absolutely worth trying out the “pizza roce” (sweet pizza), the sfogliatelle and lobster tails filled with cream.

STUFFED ANCHOVIES

Ingredients: 1 kg of anchovies; 250 g. of smoked provola; flour; breadcrumbs; 2 eggs; salt; oil for frying; 1 lettuce head; 2 large lemons.

Preparation: Thoroughly eviscerate and wash the anchovies, open them in two and remove the bone. On each open anchovie, place a slice of provola without the outer peel and drained, then place another anchovie on top and close the “bundle” by pressing lightly with your fingers. Proceed to the double breading: flour, beaten egg with a pinch of salt, breadcrumbs, fry in abundant hot oil, but not boiling. When the anchovies are well golden on both sides, dry them on the absorbent kitchen paper and serve them on a plate where you will have prepared a “bed” of lettuce and lemons.

SPAGHETTI POSITANO MUSSELS

Ingredients: 350 gr. of spaghetti di Gragnano; 1kg of Positano mussels; 300 gr. of San Marzano tomato pulp; 50 gr. of black olives; 50 gr. of green olives; Nocelle parsley; 1 clove of garlic; Sorrento olive oil; pepper and salt.

Preparation: Clean the mussels well by washing them with running water, then put them on the heat in a large pan, adding two tablespoons of oil and a sprinkling them with chopped parsley, cook until they are open. Remove the mussels from the shell by placing them in a bowl with some of the cooking broth. Put on the heat in another pan olive oil and a clove of garlic with pitted olives cut into pieces, peppered and salted, and add the tomato pulp. Cook the sauce for 10-12 minutes and then add the mussels, allowing to cook for another 2 minutes. Drain the pasta and season with the sauce, accompanied by a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

RICOTTA AND PEAR CAKE

Ingredients: 4 eggs; 140 g sugar; 40 g icing sugar; 140 g almond flour; 30 g butter; 60 g flour 00. Stuffing: 150 gr. of sheep’s ricotta cheese; 100 gr. of ricotta cheese in a basket; 75 gr. of sugar; 250 ml. cream; 350 gr. of pears; 1 tablespoon of lemon juice; 1 tablespoon of sugar; 1 knob of butter.

Preparation: Peel and cut the pears, put them in a pan with a knob of butter, a spoonful of sugar and a tablespoon of lemon juice, and cook for 15 minutes. In bowl mix the ricotta with sugar, pears and whipped cream. Put the cream in the fridge to cool. Almond biscuits: separate the yolks from the egg whites, whip 3 of them, and add the icing sugar. In a bowl, whip the yolks and 1 egg white with sugar, then add the almond flour, 00 flour and warm melted butter. Finally, add the whipped egg whites to the mixture. Butter 2 26 cm zipper moulds, each with half of the dough and cook at 200°C for 10 minutes. Pour the cream between the two biscuits and store it in the fridge for 2 hours.