Saracen, Norman and Longobard table delicacies

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(Translated by Marianna Mastro)

he gastronomic tradition of the Campania region doesn’t recall only to the Imperial Rome but also to the Saracen, Norman and Longobard who have stopped in our area, leaving delicious proofs of their presence as per example, the use of the animal’s blood as an aliment.

In fact, they bled their cows and then boiled the blood with milk and butter together with mixed aromatic herbs; this was one of the most delicious dishes. This animal blood was also eaten coagulated in boiling water, sprinkled with salt, diced and cooked in hot oil with onions and laurel.

These alimentary customs have been skilfully elaborated again by the well known creativity of the Neapolitan people who transformed these simple dishes into those marvellous work or arts of the cookery art, considered the most carnival the two very famous called “I bucatini al sangue di porco” (pasta dressed with pig blood) and “Il Sanguinaccio” (blood-pudding).