QUALITALY 140

June/July 2024 XIV MAGAZINE milk, meat and cheeses such as Marzolina , also known as Pezza or Caciottina , goat’s cheese and Ricotta Secca , which are also very popular even outside the areas of production. They are included in the national list of traditional products to such an extent that they represent a resource for the economy of the area concerned. Although the production of local dairies is modest, the quality of the cheeses is excellent. The best known are pecorino, caciocavalli, fiordilatte and cow’s milk products made from buffalo milk or sheep’s milk with hard, soft, fresh and matured paste. The best-known are Caciocavallo PAT di Agnone , Pecorino del Matese , Treccia di Santa Croce and Caciosalame , a singular cheese that confirms the ingenuity of the Molisans who, when emigrating abroad after World War II, hid the salumi inside the cheese in order to pass American customs controls. From the capital, Campobasso, to the sea - in Termoli - the journey is short, about 70 km. All around are unspoilt landscapes traversed by transhumance, the seasonal migration of cattle to the mild climate of the Tavoliere delle Puglie. Before arriving in Termoli, a small town on the Adriatic coast, there is a succession of picturesque old villages perched on rocky spurs that jealously guard the gastronomy of this unspoilt corner of Italy. FROM THE LAND TO THE SEA Known as the Dolphin Coast, the thirty- four kilometres of coastline are home to many varieties of fish, mainly oily, although the indigenous population traditionally prefers land-based products. And, as Angelo Pagano , chef of the Emozioni restaurant in the historic centre of Campobasso, shows us, this is a fish with great potential since - despite being located inland - he has chosen to pamper his guests by offering exclusively seafood dishes despite the fact that his kitchen is some 60 km away. His recipes are created from study, long experimentation and the combination of ingredients that must enhance the taste of each dish. “I can say that I have brought fish to Campobasso,’ Angelo says proudly, ‘thus waving goodbye to the ancient traditions of inland Molise that saw meat dishes as the absolute protagonists of the tables in this area. In order to guarantee cuisine of the highest standard, I have focused on aesthetics, simplicity and the quality of ingredients through experimentation and careful preparation of dishes. Of course, the quality of the fish products of this region allowed me to make the difference.” Our chef also enjoys the land-sea combination and, always daring, has experimented with combinations of food and ingredients that are sometimes unthinkable, such as the octopus matriciana, made with guanciale (pork cheek) and tomato, and the lamb tartare with caviar and buffalo ricotta cheese, a dish with a strong yet delicate flavour thanks to the suckling lamb meat. Meat permitting, there are three dishes of Molise’s seafood culture : brodetto alla termolese , made with shellfish, triglia termolese , prepared in its many variations, and baccalà e patate (salt cod and potatoes). ICING ON THE CAKE... We have come to the end of our journey and as usual, before leaving this land full of surprises, we treat our palates to the most representative local sweet delicacies: mostaccioli, calzoni, filled cakes and sweet taralli . They are versatile desserts that fit perfectly at any time of day, at the end of a meal, at breakfast or as a snack. Preparing them is not difficult. Each recipe represents a piece of tradition handed down from generation to generation . AT PAGE 50 PRODUCTS Pecorino di Capracotta P.A.T. Produced in the municipalities of Agnone, Capracotta, Carovilli, Vastogirardi, San Pietro Avellana, and Pescopennataro, towns in the province of Isernia, located over 1,000 metres above sea level. Milk from sheep fed naturally on extensive grazing is used to produce this cheese. Pecorino has a full and aromatic flavour, piquant when matured. The rind is hard and light hazelnut in colour, while the paste is compact and has rare eyes that water. The smaller cheeses have an even more intense flavour, because the paste is smaller than the rind; the ripening period can range from 3 months to 2 years. Agostiniello maize Maize also known by the names gragnone or frumentone. Europeans learned of its existence in Cuba, where it was called maìz, within a month of the discovery of America.