In Naples, a graduation is never a private affair: it's a neighbourhood celebration. Here's how to choose an original...
Latest posts
-
Original Neapolitan graduation gift: ideas for the graduate (him and her)Read more -
Asso 'e mazze: meaning and history of the Neapolitan ace of clubsRead moreThe strongest card on the green table becomes, in Naples, the most elegant way to say who really calls the shots....
-
Michelina Di Cesare, the brigantessa who defied a kingdomRead moreBorn poor in Terra di Lavoro, Michelina Di Cesare chose the maquis and the rifle against a newly united Italy. A...
-
Neapolitan Hoodies: The Autumn 2026 Style GuideRead moreWhen the air turns crisp, in Naples people don't just reach for a hoodie: they reach for a piece of identity. Here's...
-
Maradona Stadium: City Council allocates €50 million for Euro 2032Read moreThe City Council has allocated €50 million for the redevelopment of the Diego Armando Maradona stadium, ahead of...
-
Pizza Maxima 2026: Franco Pepe Is Once Again Best Pizzeria in ItalyRead moreAt the fifth edition of Pizza Maxima, the Oscars of Italian pizza, Franco Pepe confirms his title as Best Pizzeria in...
-
‘L’acqua è poca e ‘a papera nun galleggia’: what it meansRead moreWhen the means are few, so is the result. Let's discover the most realistic Neapolitan saying there is.
-
Avanti Scugnizzi: the story of the year's most loved T-shirtRead moreOne word, ‘scugnizzo’ (Neapolitan street kid), and it holds the whole of Naples inside it. We tell you how the year's...
-
'Chi chiagne fotte a chi ride': what it means and why it's truer than everRead moreAt the market, at the counter, in the family: there's always someone who complains and gets more. It's the sharp...
-
San Gennà, futtatenne! (Saint Januarius, don't worry about it!) San Gennaro, 19 September and the patron saint's t-shirtRead moreWho San Gennaro was, the miracle of the blood that liquefies, and the feast on 19 September. Plus that close,...
Blog categories
Search in blog
Archived posts
Scarpariello, a Neapolitan recipe
Scarpariello is an age-old Neapolitan dish. The word comes from “scarparo”, which in dialect means "cobbler", a trade that many practised in Naples, especially in the Quartieri Spagnoli (Spanish Quarters).
by Alessia Giannino
It's a very simple and quick recipe, born precisely to allow cobblers to prepare a fast pasta dish during their lunch break. The two main ingredients are tomato sauce and cheese.
In fact, leftover tomato sauce from Sunday was usually used, along with the cheese that many customers would use to settle their bill when they had no money. Most of them were farmers, used to paying for their goods with produce from the land in times of financial hardship.
Over time, however, what was once a recipe born to use up leftovers and save time became one of the traditional dishes still found today in Neapolitan cuisine.
Recipe
Ingredients
- Pasta
- Lard or Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Garlic
- Cherry tomatoes or tinned peeled tomatoes
- Parmesan and pecorino cheese
- Chilli pepper
Method
The old-fashioned recipe calls for chopped garlic to be fried gently in oil or lard. Then the sauce is added, which, as we mentioned earlier, used to be the leftover Sunday ragù, but is now replaced by cherry tomatoes or tinned peeled tomatoes.
After filling a pot with water, you wait for it to come to the boil, add the pasta and drain it a couple of minutes before the end of cooking time, so that it finishes cooking together with the sauce, adding the other two ingredients: Parmesan and pecorino cheese.
At this point, it can all be served at the table, adding a few basil leaves and chilli pepper as a finishing touch.
Posted in:
Neapolitan food
Related posts
-
Pastiera Napoletana: Between History and Legend
The story of the Neapolitan pastiera has its roots in a fascinating tale that blends mythology and tradition.Read more -
Mussel soup, a Holy Thursday tradition
Mussel soup on Holy Thursday: a dish with centuries-old tradition, impossible not to try.Read more -
Places to eat from Campitello to Piedimonte
The culinary treasures found across the enchanting Matese territory, from Campitello to Piedimonte, are simply not to...Read more -
The best coffees in Naples
In Naples you'll find the bars that make the city's finest coffee, served hot, sweet, but not too sweet.Read more -
Courgette Flower Fritters (Frittelle di ciurilli)
Frittelle di sciurilli are a delicious, irresistible starter made from courgette (zucchini) flowers dipped in batter...Read more
Leave a comment