If you want to know what authentic Italian cuisine tastes like, Gennaro Contaldo is a good guide. The man who once took Tim Mälzer and Jamie Oliver under his wing and taught them the art of pasta, risotto and the like is a master of the cucina povera. Like no other, he knows how to use simple ingredients but great passion to serve dishes that warm the heart.
The cucina povera, also known as poor people’s kitchen, is based on the products that the country produces – seasonal, regional, usually even home-grown. What is “in” again today was once a necessity. Vegetables are the main actors, meat and fish are the guest stars. In the south of Italy, the preference for greens went so far at the beginning of the 20th century that the Neapolitans were even called “leaf eaters”. mangia foglie, Contaldo writes in his cookbook “Verdure”. Vegetables were also the basis of his childhood and still play a major role in his diet today.
Simple ingredients, lots of flavor
“When I see a head of broccoli or an eggplant in the fridge, I see recipe ideas,” says Contaldo. “It’s really fascinating what can be conjured up from such simple ingredients.” A broccoli could become a casserole (recipe in the photo series), an eggplant could Parmigiana process. Combined with just a few basic ingredients from the pantry, the vegetables quickly become a delicious, uncomplicated meal.
“In my childhood, the seasons dictated what was on the table. I looked forward to each season because different foods would be on the menu,” says Contaldo. What the asparagus was in the spring, the forest mushroom was in the autumn. Today he is still an advocate of buying products when they are in season. In his opinion, they are “not only fresher, cheaper and more sustainable, but also taste better”.
Italian cuisine – regional, seasonal, sustainable
In his cookbook “Verdure” Gennaro Contaldo has compiled original Italian vegetable dishes for the whole year. Even though the focus is on vegetables, it is not a purely vegetarian cookbook; now and then he adds parmesan, anchovies or pancetta to the dishes. But these are always just options. If you don’t feel like it, you can simply leave it out. He offers appropriate vegetarian alternatives for every recipe.
Three recipes from Contaldo that taste just like you la dolce vitathe good life, is presented to you in the photo series above.
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