As September draws to a close, the late summer sun and cool evening breeze are pleasant reminders that, throughout Italy, a change of season is upon us. L’autunno is arriving, and with it comes more than just a breath of fresh air to savor. While out exploring Italy’s markets this time of year, with stalls overflowing with fresh autumn fruits and vegetables, you might hear the word “settembrini” tossed about by vendors and locals alike.

The word settembrino (plural settembrini) is an adjective meaning “of (or from) September.” A word sadly lacking in English, it can be loosely translated as “Septemberish”—but it just sounds better in Italiano! For Italian Americans in Upstate New York, think crisp apples freshly picked from an orchard and you’ve got the idea. While the cool evening breeze and locally grown mele (apples) and pere (pears) can all be described as settembrini, there is one type of fresh fruit so sweet, so fine, that the word often refers only to them. These are the late maturing variety of white fichi, or figs, that appear in markets across Italy during the month of September. One of the highlights of autunno, these tree-ripened figs harvested in September are one of the sweetest treats of living or traveling in Italy in September.

How do you pick the best fichi settembrini? Figs are highly perishable and do not ripen after picking, so it’s important to select the best fruits available from local vendors. Look for figs that are plump and yield slightly to the touch without being mushy. Small cracks in the skin are fine, and bent stems are actually a good sign. As with all fruit, the scent is important as well. Fresh figs should have a light, sweet scent, and avoid buying any that have begun to smell slightly sour. The distinctive trait of settembrini is their smaller size, so when selecting them remember that bigger is not always better! Because they must be consumed quickly after being harvested, plan to eat fresh figs within a day or two after buying them. (If you can wait that long!) In Italy, the best place to find fresh figs is at the local farmers’ market, a truly pleasurable spot to visit during the harvest season. Or, better yet, since fig trees grow spontaneously across Italy – along the side of the road or out of rocky walls—why not stop and pick a few fresh figs for a quick roadside spuntino?

Italians have been eating figs for centuries. The trees grow well in the Mediterranean climate, with the strong sun in southern Italy producing exceptionally rich and luscious fruits. Intensely sweet, settembrini are delicious on their own and make a delightful desert in themselves. However, Italians have made an art form of combining figs in a multitude of mouthwatering combinations as well. A classic Italian combination pairs these fruits with prosciutto as an antipasto, the sweet and savory flavors blending masterfully into one divine gastronomic experience. In addition to countless dolce recipes, during the harvest season fichi also make an appearance in primi and secondi. Looking for a distinctly September dish while traveling in Italy? Try a pizza bianca with prosciutto and ripe settembrini figs for an unforgettable mix of flavors. Another typical autumn dish is pasta with fichi, cipolla e pancetta, a perfect balance of sweet and rich tastes.

Although September is quickly passing, the warm late summer sun and crisp night air make fall a favorite season for Italians and visitors alike. It’s not too late to experience the delightful treats this time of year brings—especially the fichi settembrini. What better way to enjoy and reflect upon the change of seasons – the cool breeze, the changing light, the warm shades of the countryside—than while enjoying a few (or more!) of these satisfyingly sweet gifts of nature?

One of the most famous pastries of Naples, the sfogliatella is a delicacy celebrated by locals and visitors alike. As the old saying goes, “A Napoli tre cose sono belle: ’o mare, ’o vesuvio, e sfogliatelle” (In Naples there are three beautiful things: the sea, Mount Vesuvius, and sfogliatelle), and when you visit Naples and many cities in the region of Campania, you will quickly discover the passion and appreciation this small seashell-shaped pastry has garnered.

In cafés and pasticcerie, Italy’s tempting pastry shops, you will find sfogliatelle tempting you as the perfect snack or accompaniment for an espresso. The sfogliatella comes in two traditional varieties, both filled with a sweet, often cinnamon-infused, ricotta cheese mixed with candied fruit. The most popular are the riccia (curly), made with a puff pastry that when baked forms a crispy shell of paper-thin layers of delicate pastry. The classic riccia with accordion-like layers gave the sfogliatella its name, which means “little layers.” The frolla, often ordered simply as “pasta frolla,” is a softer, doughy version of the sfogliatella prepared with short crust pastry and often round in shape. Both are dusted with a powdered sugar that makes them a delight – and challenge to eat neatly as well!

After you decide if you prefer your sfogliatella “riccia or frolla,” you can set off on your next adventure – to uncover the origins of the sfogliatella. First you must track down a sfogliatella santarosa. Slightly larger than a traditional sfogliatella, it is filled instead with a crema pasticcera and garnished with a bit of crema di amarene (sour black cherry). This creamy pastry holds the key to how the sfogliatella as we know it today was born.

As it turns out, this luxurious and rich dessert was created in a monastery. If we go back to the 1600s, to the Monastery of Santa Rosa tucked high up in the mountains in the small village of Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast, we find a story of a nun working away in the kitchen one day. By chance she created a pastry that became well-known in the surrounding community as la Santarosa, named after the monastery. The cloistered nuns retained this special recipe, and it wasn’t until the 1800s that a man by the name of Pasquale Pintauro in Naples got his hands on one of these pastries from Conca dei Marini. He created his own version filled with a rich fruit and cinnamon-infused ricotta mixture, and the sfogliatella as we know it today was born.

While undoubtedly a symbol of Naples, the sfogliatella has become a traditional pastry throughout the region of Campania, including the Sorrentine Peninsula and the Province of Salerno. For the people of Conca dei Marini on the Amalfi Coast, there remains a special connection with the sfogliatella. They celebrate their famous pastry and their city’s important role in its history during the annual Festa della Sfogliatella di Santa Rosa on the first Sunday in August. Much like other sagre, or food festivals, throughout Italy, this event is an excellent opportunity to enjoy a festive and fun taste of the Amalfi Coast and an excuse to sample some of the country’s best sfogliatelle.

Whether you prefer to order a sfogliatella riccia instead of a pasta frolla – or simply cannot resist the creamy sfogliatella santarosa – what is certain is that experiencing these Neapolitan delicacies you will return again and again to discover all the other gems that are awaiting you in the region of Campania.

The Monday following my lunch featuring Signora Rosa’s Ciambotta di Zungoli (ironically in the village of Sturno, not Zungoli), I had to give this recipe a try for myself!

I only had the description from Signora Rosa and a list of ingredients. So, after some on-site research in the village of Comiziano (formally Cumignano) in the province of Napoli, I picked up a kilo of potatoes and some dried sausage at the local market and went about trying to recreate my culinary experience from the day before.

Following Signora Rosa’s advice, I started heating a lot of olive oil (extra virgin, of course!) in a large frying pan, peeling and cutting the potatoes in the meantime.

I added the potatoes, and began cutting the sausage. I should note that I bought spicy sausage – assuming (wrongly, as it turns out) it would add more flavor to the dish. Then, once I saw the potatoes were cooked, I added the sausage. After another ten minutes, I added three beaten eggs and pronto! Authentic Ciambotta di Zungoli.

Well… sort of.

Now, it came out well – and tasty, too! But I think before you try it you may want to learn from a couple (or four!) of my mistakes:

1. I used way too much oil, although I was able to pour off the extra before adding the eggs to save it. The final dish should be somewhat dry, not soupy or bathed in oil. (Remember, this was a peasant breakfast in years past!)
2. The potatoes were overcooked because I added the sausage too late. I would say, in the 25 minutes it took to cook, I think I would add the sausage after about 8-10 minutes. Instead, I waited about 15.
3. Don’t buy spicy sausage (salsiccia piccante). I thought it’d spice up the dish a bit, but the sweet sausage (salsiccia dolce) goes better.
4. Salt! I didn’t add any, but taste it before adding the egg. If you think it needs salt, add some into the beaten egg mixture before pouring it over the potatoes and sausage.
5. More eggs, too! I used three eggs (for one kilo of potatoes), and it could have used four to balance it out. It should not look like an omelet, though! The potatoes are the stars of this dish.

…and now you’re ready to cook like a real Zungolese! Let me know if you give it a try in the blog’s comment section, OK?

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When I arrived in the little mountain village of Sturno (Province of Avellino) last Sunday to visit my friend Orlando, his wife Rosa had a pranzone waiting for me that really filled me to the brim! (A little back-story: Orlando is one of the many “long-lost relatives” we discovered for a Heritage Tour client last June, and after the experience he adopted me as a relative as well! Since then, we have since remained in close contact.)

In the past three years I’ve grown accustomed to the hospitality that Southern Italians are famous for, but this lunch was a particular treat: Rosa, who was born and raised in the neighboring village of Zungoli in the Irpinia, made a special contorno for me that was 100% Zungolese – that is, something you’d only taste in her little village!

It was a ciambotta, but none like I’ve ever seen before. You might know ciambotta as an Italian ratatouille or stew-like dish your Nonna used to make. For an unofficial definition – an official I don’t think exists! – a ciambotta in Italy is generally a mixture or any vegetables that are available at the time, with recipes and traditions that vary enormously from town from town. In this case, even Orlando had never tasted such a dish in his hometown of Sturno until he married Rosa – even though Sturno and Zungoli are only 20 minutes away from each other.

The Ciambotta di Zungoli is a simple mixture of potatoes, dried sausage and egg and, although simple, it is extremely rich. It was used by the Italian contadini of yesteryear as a heavy breakfast before setting out to work the fields for hours on end. Normally it was made between November and March, when sausage was available from the slaughtering of pigs and when potatoes were used to survive the harsh winters of Avellino. Now, with the contadini all but gone, it’s a recipe the nonne zungolesi pass down to their children and grandchildren.

Hungry yet? I hope so – because here’s the recipe you’ve been waiting for!

All you need to get started are:

• Potatoes
• Dried sausage
• Eggs
• Extra-virgin olive oil

Of course, Rosa didn’t give me exact amounts. You know how Italian cooks are: “A little of this” and “a little of that!” But the process she described to me was this:

1. In a large frying pan, heat a large amount of oil while you peel the potatoes and cut them into large pieces.
2. Start frying the potatoes. During this time, cut the dried sausage into 1/2” slices.
3. When the potatoes are half-cooked, add the sausage.
4. Scramble the eggs. When the potatoes are finished cooking, pour them over the potato and sausage mixture. When cooked, remove from the stove and serve.

Italian Cooking Tips from Signora Rosa:

• “Although you can use any seed oil to fry, it’s never going to be the same as real extra virgin olive oil.”
• “When it comes to the sausage in this dish, the drier the better. However, if you don’t have dried sausage, what I do is take fresh store-bought sausage and hang it to dry for a couple of days until it’s nice and red. I then refrigerate it until I’m ready to cook.”
• “Sometimes I don’t even add salt if the sausage is salty… and never pepper. All the flavor comes from the olive oil and the sausage.”

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This could possibly be my favorite thing about Italy: No matter where you go or what time it is, you can always find something new and intriguing here in il bel paese.

I’ve been living and breathing Italy for three years now, and this little fact never ceases to amaze me. Here’s this week’s example:

Last week I drove from Rome to L’Aquila, one of my favorite Italian cities. L’Aquila is the capoluogo of the absolutely breathtaking region of Abruzzo. (Are you Abruzzese? If so, lucky you!)

I parked my car in Piazza Duomo, the main square in L’Aquila, and decided to stop to get a quick bite at a food vendor – one of the many types of merchants who set up shop in the Piazza Duomo mercato every morning.

Walking up to a “panino-shop-on-wheels” – the Italian version of fast food – I started to order a simple sandwich for a quick pranzetto; but then I saw this sign – Pizza con [gli] Sfizzoli.

BINGO! Something new to me – I had to try it.

(Before I continue, I should say that this “panino-shop-on-wheels” was immaculate and contained an enormous rotisserie BBQ pit, an entire roasted pig for succulent porchetta as well as a complete offering of various delectable contorni.)

Is your mouth watering yet? Well get a napkin, because I’m about to continue!

I started a conversation with Silvio, one of the owners, who explained a little about this specialty to me. As it turns out, it’s typical of Southern/Central Italy and is formally a peasant dish, as many modern delicacies are. Pizza con gli sfizzoli is extremely rich, made using simple but heavy pizza dough and fat from leftover cooking (Nonna always said that you don’t waste anything!), and was meant to help battle the harsh Apennine winters of Central Italy.

This tasty, modern-day variation contained bits of porchetta; although I’m nostalgic, I felt it made a worthy substitute to old, leftover lard!

Pizza con gli sfizzoli, as it’s known in the regions of Abruzzo and Lazio, turns out to be known by a few different names throughout the rest of Central Italy as well.

In the regions of Marche and Umbria, it’s found in the form of the P.A.T. product crescia con i ciccioli (in dialect, crescia co’ li sgrisciuli). For those who may like to know, crescia is the tasty, focaccia-like bread you often find grilled when visiting Central Italy. Mmmmm!

In other parts of Italy you’ll find it simply as pizza con i ciccioli, pizza con i ciccoli or pizza con i grasselli. All of these simply mean “bread and fat,” but only in Italy can you find the same dish with 10 different names in a radius of 100 miles!

Long story short: If you see the “Rosticceria di Gianni” food stand in L’Aquila anytime soon, be sure to say hello to Gianni’s sons Davide and Silvio and order a slice of pizza con gli sfrizzoli! Then, do like I did – take a minute to soak up the enchanting, snowcapped mountains of the Gran Sasso National Park, stroll a few of the tiny vicoletti of L’Aquila, and enjoy everything else the wonderful region of Abruzzo has to offer!

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