Saranak
Senior Member
[Mod.Edit: part of this post moved to start new recipe thread: Rabbit Ragu]
Hi everyone my name is Sarana Kerr (Barrechi)
So where do I start, OK my Avatar is the flag of Naples that is where I am from however, I have lived in the UK for almost forty years now since I married my English husband. I cook mostly traditional Napulitano dishes which my husband and children love. To be honest I was looking for a forum where I can share recipes that are traditional to the Campania region and Naples in particular. Getting authentic Italian ingredients is now a lot easier that when I first moved here however, some things are still difficult and or expensive to find such as colatura di alici this is almost impossible to find basically because even in Cetara it is made in very small quantities. Thankfully things like San Marzano tomatoes are quite readily available from good grocers. Colatura di alici is a fermented fish sauce that is produced from the curing of anchovy. Mostly I shop from specialist online suppliers.
I find it rather sad that many recipe sites are full of restaurant recipes that bare very little resemblance to real Napulitano cuisine and there is a danger that many of the old ways and recipes are vanishing. Most of the dishes that I create have never been written down, I was taught by my mother and grandmother.
I have a tip; I have a large glass jar that holds around 20 litres that sits in the corner of my conservatory, this jar is filled with Balsamic. Periodically I Peel and slightly bruise 3 - 4 kilos of Garlic and add it to the jar it then remains sealed for around three to four months however, I add fresh Oregano and Basil every two weeks. Slowly the garlic sinks to the bottom of the jar by this time it has become very soft. I then strain, when the Garlic is pureed on the back of a knife with a little sea salt the flavour of the Garlic is intense and far more complex than gained from roasting, there is also a delicate undertone of the Oregano and basil and with the acidity of the Balsamic it is superb. This I use as a base for mostly Ragu and in particular Lasagne Carnevale, I have not changed the Balsamic in almost twenty years, indeed to the older it gets the better it becomes; occasionally I will use a small amount in a salad dressing. Please do not use a blender to puree the Garlic it is to harsh. The puree will keep happily in the fridge for a long time and it freezes quite well.
I always use half beef and half lamb and often rabbit in a Ragu, and white wine never red.
I would be very happy to share and answer questions about Napulitano cuisine; I am not a trained chef I am just a housewife and mother who believes in feeding my family with the best food I can.
Grazie a tutti, Sarana x
Hi everyone my name is Sarana Kerr (Barrechi)
So where do I start, OK my Avatar is the flag of Naples that is where I am from however, I have lived in the UK for almost forty years now since I married my English husband. I cook mostly traditional Napulitano dishes which my husband and children love. To be honest I was looking for a forum where I can share recipes that are traditional to the Campania region and Naples in particular. Getting authentic Italian ingredients is now a lot easier that when I first moved here however, some things are still difficult and or expensive to find such as colatura di alici this is almost impossible to find basically because even in Cetara it is made in very small quantities. Thankfully things like San Marzano tomatoes are quite readily available from good grocers. Colatura di alici is a fermented fish sauce that is produced from the curing of anchovy. Mostly I shop from specialist online suppliers.
I find it rather sad that many recipe sites are full of restaurant recipes that bare very little resemblance to real Napulitano cuisine and there is a danger that many of the old ways and recipes are vanishing. Most of the dishes that I create have never been written down, I was taught by my mother and grandmother.
I have a tip; I have a large glass jar that holds around 20 litres that sits in the corner of my conservatory, this jar is filled with Balsamic. Periodically I Peel and slightly bruise 3 - 4 kilos of Garlic and add it to the jar it then remains sealed for around three to four months however, I add fresh Oregano and Basil every two weeks. Slowly the garlic sinks to the bottom of the jar by this time it has become very soft. I then strain, when the Garlic is pureed on the back of a knife with a little sea salt the flavour of the Garlic is intense and far more complex than gained from roasting, there is also a delicate undertone of the Oregano and basil and with the acidity of the Balsamic it is superb. This I use as a base for mostly Ragu and in particular Lasagne Carnevale, I have not changed the Balsamic in almost twenty years, indeed to the older it gets the better it becomes; occasionally I will use a small amount in a salad dressing. Please do not use a blender to puree the Garlic it is to harsh. The puree will keep happily in the fridge for a long time and it freezes quite well.
I always use half beef and half lamb and often rabbit in a Ragu, and white wine never red.
I would be very happy to share and answer questions about Napulitano cuisine; I am not a trained chef I am just a housewife and mother who believes in feeding my family with the best food I can.
Grazie a tutti, Sarana x
Last edited by a moderator:
Great to have another Italian on board - we have a regular contributor from Italy. 
