I Love Italian Regional Cooking - Pairing Campania Cuisine With White Wine
Great Campania food, fine Campania or other white wine...Campania is the shin of the Italian boot. It’s the second most populous region in Italy. Because it’s so far south, I don’t propose touring in the summer heat. When do you go, visit the capital, Naples, as in “See Naples and Die,” the upper class playground of Sorrento and Pompeii, frozen in time with the eruption of Mount Vesuvius some two thousand years ago. Campania claims to be the home of pasta and pizza. We do some pizza below.
Cosy Campania kitchen, Campania comfort food.
For starters, some people like Alici in Tortiera (Moist-Baked Anchovies), which includes Pecorino cheese, olive oil, breadcrumbs, and spices. My mouth is watering. It waters even more at the thought of the Campania wine Fiano di Avellino DOCG that’s one of my favorite Italian whites. Since you’re probably not going to finish a relatively expensive bottle on the appetizer we have other Fiano pairing suggestions below. Other wines to pair with this dish include Frascati DOC from Latium, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo DOC from Abbruzzi, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG from Tuscany.
Campania is a great place for pizza. Among the choices are Pizza Margherita (Pizza with Mozzarella and Tomatoes), Pizza Marinara (Pizza with Tomato, Garlic and Oregano) or a cheeseless Pizza Napoletana (Neapolitan Pizza). Pair the Margherita with a red or rosé Bardolino from Veneto or with the Fiano di Avellino DOCG. Pairing choices for the Marinara include Aversa DOC from Campania (it may be hard to find) and Colli Albani from Latium. Pair the Napoletana with Aversa DOC or Fiano di Avellino DOCG.
Our next food suggestion isn’t as popular as pizza. Polipo alla Luciana (Octopus alla Luciana) requires a lot of work. You have to tenderize the Octopus and after you stick it in the oven with tomatoes, olive oil, parsley, salt, and pepper you should really watch it regularly so it doesn’t stick to the pan. On the upside, this dish pairs well with a variety of white wines, some of which are upscale. Suggested wines include Greco di Tufo DOCG from Campania (the grapes are originally from Greece), Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC from The Marches (this is the most common Verdicchio), Vermentino di Gallura DOCG from Sardinia, and Vernaccia di San Gimignano DOCG from Tuscany.
Sfogliatella Riccia. Try it, you'll like it.
Time for dessert. My local Italian food store sells ready-made Sfogliatella Riccia (Shell-shaped Flaky Ricotta Pastries) and they are delicious. When I see these beautiful pastries my guess is that they are difficult to make. Suggested wine pairings include the Tuscan dessert wines Moscadello di Montalcino DOC and Vin Santo del Chianti both sold in small bottles.
About the Author
Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods and spend time with his wife and family. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Check out his global wine website at www.theworldwidewine.com with his weekly column reviewing $10 wines and his new sections writing about (theory) and tasting (practice) organic and kosher wines. Check out his Italian wine website at www.theitalianwineconnection.com.
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