The best approach to learning about a new place is to immerse you in its culture, cuisine, and people. On a recent trip to Naples, Italy, I was able to do precisely that.
There are fried fish morsels, cheese-filled pastries, and even swine offal on the street food menu in Naples. Meatballs drenched in ragù can be served with pasta, cheeses, vegetables, and desserts at restaurants. Naples is a place where you may forget about your weight and savor every mouthwatering dish.
Here are my best advice and a list of 20 must-have Naples cuisine.
1. Pizza Fritta
If you’re going to fry something extraordinary, like pizza, you might as well do it right. In addition to pizzas baked in wood-fired ovens, most Naples pizza restaurants offer this pizza version. Neapolitan pizzaiolos prepare Pizza Fritta by frying packed pizza dough in hot oil until it reaches the temperature of “GBD” (golden brown and delicious). Cheese (ricotta, provolone, and mozzarella) and meat are common ingredients.
2. Polpette
These soft meatballs, served in groups of two or three, are Ragù’s way of betraying its true love: pasta. A dinner of polpette doused in spoonfuls of ragù is an excellent choice for any hungry traveler looking for a high-protein meal. Throw vegetarianism out the window, forget about the noodle pieces, and chow down on this prized meat that comes in a spherical form.
3. Pizza Di Scarola
Torta Salata, or “salted pizza,” has been a Neapolitan delicacy for centuries, but it isn’t what you’d expect from the name “pizza.” Escarole, garlic, black olives and capers, anchovies, and pine nuts filling are sandwiched between two layers of pastry dough and baked to perfection. Pizza di Scarola traditionally served on Christmas Eve is a delectable treat that may be savored all year long.
4. Pasta Genovese
Pasta Genovese is a traditional dish in Naples. However, there is no proof that it has any link to the city of Genoa, which is located in northern Italy. It is possible that the dish was influenced by merchants from Genoa many centuries ago. After several hours of boiling, the onion takes on a prominent role in the meaty sauce served with this pasta. After the onions have melted, you will get a hearty, abundant, sweet, and meaty bomb with a lot of sauce.
5. Imperata Di Cozze
If you visit Naples, you absolutely must partake in some of the delicious seafood that is delivered there every day. Make sure to save room for the delectable fish and squid dishes and the Impepata di Cozze, which is a straightforward dish consisting of mussels cooked with tomatoes, peppers, and white wine. At the very end, bite-sized pieces of bread sop up the juices.
6. Pizza Al Tonno
Italian-style pizza with tuna topping is known as pizza al Tonno in the country’s culinary lexicon. A basic pizza crust is topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, and tuna marinated in olive oil for a unique take on the classic. Canned tuna is a convenient component used year-round in most Italian pizzerias, making this a favorite. It is possible to add items like onions, olives, cherry tomatoes, gorgonzola artichokes, or eggplants to this pizza version.
7. Babà Rum
Babà of the rum variant can be found in bakeries and confectioneries all around the city. They have the appearance of shiny, spongy mushrooms. These miniature cakes are typically topped with whipped cream and fresh berries before being served. To eat ideally, you should have an espresso in one hand and baba in the other, and you should switch between taking bites of the dessert and sips of the coffee at regular intervals.
8. Spaghetti Alle Vongole
Although the dish’s name translates to “Spaghetti with Clams,” Spaghetti Alle Vongole has an exotic-sounding moniker. And it is precisely what is included in the dish and a few additional components such as olive oil, garlic, and the odd tomato from a volcano. Spaghetti with clams, a popular dish throughout Italy but was created in Naples, may be found at any number of the city’s trattorias.
9. Rococo
Naples is where Roccoco, a famous Christmas cookie, gets its name. Flour, sugar, almonds, candied fruit, and pisto — a mixture of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, and coriander – are all used to make them. They’ve been famous for their dry, stiff texture since the convent nuns of the Real Convento Della Maddalena began baking them in 1320 and have been perfecting the recipe ever since. A glass of limo cello, Marsala, or spumante is a traditional pairing to go along with the rococo biscotti.
10. Fried Pizza
This unusual cuisine stood out to me the most among others that we tried. Imagine the crispiest and tastiest fried dough you’ve ever eaten, loaded with velvety ricotta cheese (and frequently smoked provolone), a little bit of meat, and some freshly ground black pepper. We indulged in one of the city’s finest pizzas at the renowned Antica Pizza Fritta da Zia Esterina Sorbillo, where there is always a line out the door. We indulged in one of the city’s finest pizzas; it was well worth waiting.
11. Pasta E Ceci
Pasta and chickpeas are the primary components in this hearty Italian soup. From maltagliati to cannolicchi, any pasta can be utilized in this soup. After simmering the onion and celery in chickpea stock, the pasta is added to the mixture. Italy has a long tradition of serving this warm dish on Fridays.
12. Neapolitan Pizza
This is the home of pizza, made in the traditional brick oven. Pizza made in the Neapolitan style lives up to the high expectations set by its name. We went to the renowned Gino Sorbillo to sample their traditional dishes, such as the margarita with buffalo mozzarella and the pizza marinara, a straightforward conventional dish topped with fresh tomatoes and oregano garlic, and olive oil.
13. Pasta Alla Genovese
In Naples, pasta Alla Genovese is one of the city’s most popular meals, but where is it from? It appears to be as authentically Neapolitan as pizza. The dish itself, pasta with stewed meat and onions, was also met with skepticism. The onion sauce deserves all the acclaim it receives. The onions in pasta Alla Genovese are cooked for an extended period with the local veal, giving the dish its distinctive flavor. With this method, you get an incredibly flavorful and rich caramelized sauce, virtually like the best French onion soups you’ve ever had!
14. Sartu’ Di Riso
Sartu’ di riso encapsulates the best of Naples, Italy’s cuisine. Essentially, this is pasta’s take on a pizza for meat-lovers. Just think of all the delicious combinations you can create, such as small meatballs filled with chicken livers to Fior di latte and provolone cheeses to mushrooms and hard-boiled eggs. This enormous stuffing is cooked toasty brown in an extensive Jell-O mold lined and topped with rice. The meal looks like a savory variation of angel food cake when it has been turned upside down and withdrawn. For Naples, this is the pinnacle of its allure.
15. Struffoli
Struffoli is an absolute must-eat if you find yourself in Naples around the holiday season. These bite-sized pieces of dough are deep-fried and then rolled in honey and colorful sprinkles before being served.
16. Panino Napoletano
Even though the Cubano and the humble grilled cheese sandwich are sometimes used to compare the panino or Panini, these Italian sandwiches hold a special place in the hearts of those who purchase them in the city of Naples, Italy. The Panino Napolitano resembles a hybrid of a sticky iced bun and a calzone in appearance. This rich street snack is a holy trinity of pork, cheese, and bread, with oozing chunks of pancetta and melted provolone.
17. Sfogliatella
The paper-thin folds of this shell-shaped pastry are on display in bakeries all around the city. These tasty morsels were initially made by monks and introduced to the public by Neapolitan pastry artist Pasquale Pintauro in 1818. After baking and cooling, Sfogliatella is filled and coated with powdered sugar before devouring.
18. Coniglio All’Ischitana
Montanara is a pizza identical to Pizza Fritta but does not contain salumi, in case you forgot. Tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese are smeared on a crispy fried pizza crust. Many restaurants sell Montanara for just one euro in Naples’ ancient center.
19. Montanara
Montanara is a pizza identical to Pizza Fritta but does not contain salumi, in case you forgot. Tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese are smeared on a crispy fried pizza crust. Many restaurants sell Montanara for just one euro in Naples’ ancient center.
20. Panuozzo
The Panuozzo from Gragnano is the most well-known Panuozzo family of cheeses. The Amalfi Coast and a high top separate this settlement. People in the area love Panuozzo, and on Friday or Saturday nights, they get themselves all dressed up to enjoy one! Porchetta, Provola, and Potatoes are the best accompaniments if you want to experience the authentic Italian dish. They are cooked in an oven like a Panini but with the same dough. Fill the inside with whatever you desire.
