Many people visit Italy for its beautiful architecture and rich history, but many also visit simply for the food. Naples is the heart of Italian cuisine, not only because pizza originated here but because of its prime location near the sea, its intensely rough history, and the unique findings that much of Napoli food is fried. Naples should be on your itinerary, and if it is, here are 10 dishes you must eat while visiting.
10 Pizze Fritte
Naples is the hometown of pizza, but it was not always the classic pie that most people know and love. After WWII, Naples was struck with an intense level of poverty, and since most locals could not afford an oven, they fried their food and sold it as a means to survive. The puffed effect made food appear more filling and became a source of income for Neapolitans. This tradition has stayed alive and well, with much of Napoli food being fried, but no dish is more famous here than pizze fritte. Pizze fritte is a large diamond-shaped fried piece of dough, traditionally stuffed with cheese and tomato sauce, but also often with morsels of pork.
9 Montanara
If eating a giant diamond-shaped fried pizza sounds a little too intense, montanara is the next best thing. Montanara appears to be a regular pizza in its shape and toppings, but what separates it from the classic is that the dough is fried. As mentioned above, Naples suffered financially after WWII. Frying the pizza dough made it appear to be more filling, and thus, montanara, or tiny mountain, was born.
8 Fiori Di Zucca
In case it has not been made clear yet, Naples does fried food quite well, and one of the best-fried dishes to try is fiori di zucca, a fried zucchini flower stuffed with ricotta. While certain places use a traditional breading and others use more of a tempura-like batter, this dish is an irresistible treat that you’re likely to want to order every time you see it pop up on a menu.
7 Frittatina
Naples has an impoverished past, and one of the ways they used to preserve food was by frying leftover pasta. This tradition has carried on in the form of frittatina, a square of fried pasta, usually bucatini, with some type of cream and meat inside. Yes, it really is as good as it sounds. Who knew pasta could get lusher?
6 Paccheri Con Baccala
Paccheri is a pasta shape often found on menus in Southern Italy, and no dish compares to Paccheri con Bacala. Bacala is a salted codfish commonly found in Portuguese cuisine but equally commonly found in Neopolitan cuisine. Paccheri con Bacala is a classic Neapolitan dish that is filling, hearty, and is likely to only cost about 5 euros.
5 Pasta Alla Genovese
You might be asking yourself, “Why would I order Genovese-style pasta if I’m in Naples?” This certainly can be confusing, but to clarify, pasta alla Genovese is not the typical pesto Genovese sauce. It is instead a slow-cooked onion-based sauce mixed with tender shredded veal and topped with copious amounts of pecorino romano. It is a deeply rich dish that will break up the excessive amount of seafood and pizze fritte you’re bound to eat in Napoli.
4 Cuoppo Di Mare
Similar to any seaside town in Italy, cuoppo di mare is a cone of fried seafood, most traditionally served with “7 fishes.” This treat can be found in many street carts throughout the city, and though not “cuoppo,” fried seafood is likely going to be on every appetizer menu, just not always served in a cup form. There is something particularly pleasing about eating fried seafood morsels out of a cone with a little toothpick on the streets of Naples.
3 Neapolitan Pizza
Did you really go to Naples if you did not get a classic pizza? Eating pizza is pretty much a requirement when in Naples. You will see all different types on menus, from pistachio cream with mortadella to no cheese with anchovies to potato and rosemary, but the classic Neapolitan pizza is simple: buffalo mozzarella cheese, Pomodoro sauce, and slivers of fresh basil. Simple, cheap, and absolutely delicious.
2 Sfogliatella Riccia
What is often referred to as a “Lobster tail” pastry is what the Italians know to be sfogliatella, a flakey buttery pastry filled with lemon ricotta cream, and, yes, shaped like a lobster tail. These crisp indulgent pastries can be found all over Naples, but they’re best enjoyed in the morning with a cup of espresso.
1 Cornetto Con Crema E Amarena
If puff lobster tails are less your style, you can opt for a croissant instead. The classic Neopolitan croissant, better known as “cornetto,” is filled with cream and cherries. It can be found in nearly any bakery in the city, and most even offer a plain croissant, which you can have filled right there in front of you. If you want to stay classic to Napoli style, go for the cream and cherries.