F ERRARA AND HER PROVINCE LAN D FOR GOURMETS between lands water and flavours Thanks to the rich soil and to a skilled culinary tradition, many are Ferrara s high quality products having European quality labels IGP DOP - DOC These products, called The 17 Pearls of the Ferrarese, are essential part of Ferrara s superb cuisine. Directly from the soil here are some pearls
Voghiera s Garlic Delta s Carrot Altedo s Green Asparagus Romagna s Peach Nectarine IGP Emilia Romagna s Pear Emilia s melon Emilia s watermelon
The local traditional cuisine in Ferrara dates back to the Estensi Court during the Renaissance; it includes many savoury and sweet specialties that a century old tradition has handed down to the present days. Some of these specialties are acknowledged among There are appetizing sausages
Zia Ferrarese (Ferrara s pearl) Salama da sugo ( Ferrara s pearl) - Wine flavored matured sausage
Salame all aglio (Ferrara s pearl) Garlic flavored salami A Reinassance old bread Coppia P.G.I. (Ferrara s pearl) - literally Couple - It has a peculiar shape: the central body has 4 small dunes attached to four twisted long horns: this shape refers to the symbolic union between the feminine and masculine essence.
Full flavour pasta dishes Cappellacci di Zucca ( Ferrara s pearl) - literally Shabby Hats - Sort of ravioli with a filling of pumpkin and Parmigiano cheese
Cappelletti Literally Small caps They are the local version of Bologna s tortellini Pasticcio di Maccheroni Maccheroni Pie. Small size maccheroni with meat sauce and Bechamel sauce wrapped in puff or short pastry
SOME TRADITIONAL DESSERTS Pampepato (Ferrara s pearl) Litterally Bread of the Papacy Originally prepared in monasteries and nunneries to celebrate Christmas, it has the shape of a high prelate headgear. It contains candied fruit, chocolate, almonds. Brazadela A local dialect name for a ring-shaped cake
Zuppa inglese - Literally English pudding - An italianized version of the English Trifle, created in the XVI Century by a local pastry chef who was asked to prepare the traditional English dessert for an Italian diplomat returning from London.
T HE PO DELTA PARK An important area in the district of Ferrara is the Po Delta Park, one of the most important wetland areas in Europe, the biggest in Italy. Special protected area, it is Unesco s World Heritage Site. The flavours of the Delta region are intense, suggestive: a true expression of what living in this wonderful territory is about.
Rice ( Ferrara s pearl) It is a high starch, short grained type of rice, coming in different varieties: Baldo, Carnaroli, Arborio, Vialone Nano. They are basic ingredients for many local rice-based dishes Risotto di pesce Rice coke in fish stock to a creamy consistency Risotto di zucca Pumpkin Risotto
Eels (Ferrara s pearl) They are the true symbols of Valli di Comacchio. Adult eels leave their home waters in late Autumn, then they swim for about 3-5 months to reach the Sargassi Sea off the Caribbean Coast. There, they deposit their eggs at an enormous sea-depth and, after that, they die. Their larvaes are carried to the European coasts by the currents. When they arrive in Europe they are young eels and group together at river mouths or lakes. One of their favourite residence is the Valli di Comacchio where they are traditionally caught in devices called " bolaghe", in areas called " otele".
The baskets full of eels are kept underwater to keep the eels fresh and alive until they are sent off to the markets. They are cooked in many ways: grilled with "polenta", stewed with savoy cabbage, fried, marinated. Grilled Eels
A gourmet s speciality of the area are marinated eels Sophia Loren in La donna del fiume (1955) directed by Mario Soldati
Goro s Clams (Ferrara s pearl) They are soft, full flavour clams, smelling of the sea
The Bosco Eliceo Wines (Ferrara s pearl) Typical wines of this area are called SAND WINES; this name derives from the fact that their vineyards are cultivated near the Adriatic coastline and roots go deep down in the sandy soils. The strong identity of such wines allowed them to obtain a specific denomination origin, DOC Bosco Eliceo, whose most representative wine is Fortana. This wine is more commonly called Uva D'oro [Golden Grape] because, according to legend, when Renè of France came to be the bride of Ercole II d Este, she brought in her dowry a vine variety called Golden Grape, perhaps because it came from the French Côte d Or.