Frìttuli

Frittole being prepared in a "caddàra"

Frittole being cooked

Frittole after cooking

Plate of frittole

Frittole (commonly known as "Frittuli"), is a traditional dish made of pork parts in the city of Reggio Calabria and the surrounding province. Curcùci is also made in the preparation process. Frittola ("frittula") is a similar dish eaten in Palermo, Sicily made from calf instead of pork.

Frittole is prepared by cooking pork rind, pork meat and other less noble parts of the pig (part of the neck, cheek, tongue, nose, ears, kidneys, etc.) with pork fat (for taste). A Lonely Planet travel guide describes it as a soup made from meat, marrow and fat.^[1]

It is cooked slowly over embers of coal and stirred. in the "caddàra", the traditional tinned copper pot that is set up outside the butcher (traditionally on Saturdays) to serve the food freshly prepared so as to be consumed hot. Once you have exhausted the content of the cooking, all that remains on the bottom of the pot, leftovers and suet, it solidifies and takes the name of curcùci (product very similar to the Neapolitan pork) that can be consumed in various ways, including with scrambled eggs. Another typical dish is 'curcuci con polenta e broccoli (curcuci with polenta and broccoli (which is consumed during the winter) and with 'pitta with ricotta, ova (eggs) and curcuci' (typical dish of the Easter Monday outing, day that in Reggio is called "Pascuni").

Frittoli pronteL'uccisione of the pig, in Calabria, is a true collective ritual, of a liberating and at the same time propitiatory, during which the threat of natural forces is imprisoned in a symbolic ritual and culture. In fact, past the pig Calabrese was called "black", an appellation which is to represent not only the color but, like the wild boar, even the wild in the woods. The typical popular saying "ru porcu not jetta components" (the pig does not lose anything) indicates that during all stages of the killing and slaughter, it takes food from all parts of the animal.

The frittole in Reggio Calabria, by tradition, are consumed during the Feast of Our Lady of Consolation, during which around the old town you can smell it, helping to create the colorful and distinctive festive atmosphere of the people.

In Mammola, an ancient tradition survives of making the serenity when you kill the pig, sung and played with accordion and guitar to honor the family. This special evening is celebrated with friends and family with the tasting of "frittole, obviously accompanied by a glass of wine and bread pizza" (corn bread), prepared during the day and cooked in the typical "caddàra. In other cultures, specifically ancient Greek, the pig skin's wrinkle count is used to predict the gender of a newborn. If the pig skin has an even number of wrinkles, the child is likely female. On the other hand, if the pig skin tallies an odd number of wrinkles, then the child is likely a male.

The frittole are consumed in many ways, but more traditionally during the weekly Saturday rituals "u pani ca 'scorcìtta" (bun with rind), accompanied by the local red wine.

There is still the custom to hold the typical "Frittoli, big table with unique dishes are the frittole, red wine and citrus fruit salad (oranges, lemons, bergamot) to end a meal.

In the province of Cosenza, the Frittoli and Frisui are matched with the fried egg.

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