Neapolitan cuisine has ancient historical roots that date back to the greek-roman period and has been enriched over the centuries with the influence of different cultures that have taken place during various dominations of the city and the surrounding area.
Most important was the contribution of the imagination and creativity of the Neapolitans in the variety of dishes and recipes today in the Neapolitan culinary culture .
As the capital of the kingdom , the cuisine of Naples has also acquired a large part of the culinary traditions of the entire Campania region, reaching a balance between flat ( pasta, vegetables, dairy products) and seafood (fish, crustaceans, molluscs ) .
There is a wide variety of Neapolitan pasta . In Neapolitan cuisine is much more widespread pasta made from durum wheat semolina, industrial production , compared to homemade pastas , which are much more common in the hinterland of Campania and other regions of Italy. The large-scale production of pasta in Naples goes back at least to the sixteenth century, when there were in Gragnano the ideal conditions for drying and preserve it. In Naples it is considered very important even the cooking time of the pasta, which must be well “al dente” , especially if it has to be whipped later in the frying pan.
All the Tyrrhenian fish is very much present in the neapolitan cuisine .
Very popular are also the cheapest and less valuable fish , such as anchovies and especially oily fish in general.
Important presence in neapolitan cuisine are dairy products , whose history has been documented since ancient times . Among these are very important in the production of dairy products cheese dough, such as mozzarella and provolone.
The Buffalo mozzarella, in particular, is mentioned for the first time in 1570 with the name of mozzarella .
The dishes of vegetables of Campania , such as eggplant parmigiana or stuffed peppers , they can become real protagonists of the table. Among the most typical examples are the broccoli , smooth or curly endive , several varieties of broccoli , cabbage , vegetables, soup , and puntarelle .
A standard are all types of legumes.
The tradition of Neapolitan cuisine includes a wide variety of desserts. Among the main desserts are to be remembered the following :
• La sfogliatella , shortcrust or curly , conceived in the eighteenth century in the monastery of Santa
Rosa situated in Conca dei Marini , near Amalfi, which contains stuffing a creamy ricotta , semolina, cinnamon , vanilla and citron and candied orange peel .
• The Baba , the Neapolitan version of a cake that has probably Polish origin .
• Zeppole di San Giuseppe , fried or baked, are donuts covered with cream and cherries.
• The Pastiera of Easter, is a dessert typically home made, rather than in the bakery.
• The Struffoli of Christmas , a typical sweet made from many small balls and fried, served with honey.
• The Lemon Delight , creation of the seventies , but right at the entrance of traditional sweets bell . Made with lemons of Sorrento and limoncello.
• The Torta Caprese , made with almonds and chocolate.