THE CALABRIAN FRASCATOLA

Frascatola, also called Frascatula or Friscatula, is an ancient dish of traditional Calabrian cuisine. This dish is very reminiscent of polenta with which it shares the basic ingredient: corn flour. Traditionally it was eaten poured on a pastry board. The Frascatula is a poor dish of the southern cuisine, which nourishes and comforts on cold winter days. It is present throughout the Calabrian region, there are variants consisting in the addition of ingredients such as lard, bacon, sausages, aromatic herbs etc. The Calabrian frascatula is a dish that has nothing to envy to more elaborate dishes.

Frascatula has been included by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies. It has ancient origins that seem to date back to the period of Roman domination. The Romans used to cook wheat flour together with vegetables. The dish was called "puls", a term from which the word polenta derives.The recipe of frascatula spread in a short time throughout the Calabrian territory, arriving to the present day. The term "frascatula" seems to derive from the French word "flasque", which means "soft, flaccid", probably because at the end of cooking the frascatula has the consistency of a polenta. For this reason it is often called Calabrian polenta.

For the Frascatola

80 grams of coveted cornmeal per person;

salt to taste

For the Condiment

extra virgin olive oil to taste

pork greaves to taste

Pepper flakes to taste

THE STEP BY STEP PROCESS

1 - In a pot bring salted water to a boil.

2 - When the water starts to boil, slowly pour the corn flour, taking care to turn to prevent it from sticking or forming lumps; This until you get a thick puree but not too much.

3 - When the puree has reached the desired consistency, neither too dry nor too liquid, the frascatola will be ready.

Frascatola is eaten seasoned with traditional Calabrian cuisine: tomato sauce, pork swine, crispy peppers, pepper flakes in olive oil.   

Pork swine are a typical pork product of Calabria, derived from the preparation of lard. These are spreadable pork greaves preserved under a light layer of fat and used as a companion of Frascatula and many other Calabrian dishes, a sort of the "Nutella swine" of the Calabrian table.

Share it with your contacts and look for me on social networks with the appropriate buttons.

Follow me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mastrofrancescoantonio/?hl=it

Follow me on Twitter at this link https://twitter.com/AMastrofran

Follow me on linkedin here https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-mastrofrancesco-67b86535/

Follow me on Facebook at this link https://www.facebook.com/groups/1484014698570580