WHAT TO EAT IN CAPRI: TRADITIONAL DISHES AND WINES

If there’s one dish that, more than any other, represents Capri around the world, it’s the Caprese salad. The traditional recipe is truly simple: sliced tomatoes, mozzarella or fiordilatte, a few basil leaves, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. The appeal of this dish lies precisely in its simplicity: the ingredients used are wholesome, naturally flavorful, and need nothing else! The Caprese salad is a perfect appetizer or a light summer lunch: served with a slice of homemade bread, it’s always a fabulous choice for a quick meal that’s anything but ordinary.

Moving on to first courses, we can’t fail to mention the famous Capri-style ravioli. These are fresh pasta filled with caciotta cheese, grated cheese, and marjoram, typically served with a fresh tomato sauce and basil. The result is a delicate, flavorful dish with an aromatic note from the marjoram that sets Capri-style ravioli apart from other similar regional recipes. There are also other variations on the recipe: the ravioli can be served with butter and sage or fried and typically served as an appetizer. In short, if you’re looking for a traditional first course to try, the most obvious (and one of the tastiest) choices is definitely ravioli.

While there are still doubts and debates about the origins of other Capri dishes, everyone agrees on “chiummenzana”: this dish is indisputably native to the island of Capri! In fact, even in nearby Sorrento and Naples, few people really know what it is. But what exactly is it? Chiummenzana is a sauce made from garlic, olive oil, tomatoes, a pinch of oregano, and a few basil leaves. The name is thought to derive from “chiummo,” meaning lead, as clusters of cherry tomatoes were once hung from lead weights under pergolas after being harvested. The sauce is used to dress pasta dishes, usually spaghetti or penne, but also as a garnish for fried foods—such as alongside “mozzarella in carrozza” or “zeppole”—and finally to add an extra touch to grilled meat or fish.

Here’s another pasta dish with a fun name! The expression “aumm aumm,” in Neapolitan, refers to something that must remain hidden, a secret. Perhaps this pasta dish is named this way precisely because the ingredients blend together and almost hide, in a triumph of flavors! It’s a dish of pennette tossed in a sauce made with eggplant, mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, and basil. The eggplant is diced and then fried, before being mixed into the cherry tomato sauce prepared separately. The pasta is added to the sauce and then tossed in the pan: the final touch is the addition of cubed mozzarella, which melts into stringy strands when heated and binds all the elements together. It’s plated with a basil leaf—and voilà! Here’s a spectacular, mouthwatering first course just waiting to be devoured!

Among Capri’s traditional main courses, the dish of squid and potatoes stands out above all others. Squid is similar to calamari but has a more robust flavor; it is cooked with potatoes, cherry tomatoes, garlic, chili pepper, parsley, and a splash of white wine. It is certainly a hearty dish and must be served with slices of homemade bread to dip in the sauce (and with which you absolutely must do the “scarpetta” at the end!)

Squid is used in countless ways in Capri cuisine: in addition to the previously mentioned squid and potatoes, let’s not forget stuffed squid! First, the squid is cut up: the body is separated from the tentacles, which are set aside and sautéed in a pan with garlic and oil. They are then added to a bowl with eggs, caciotta cheese, Parmesan, and parsley. At this point, the filling is stuffed into the squid body, secured with toothpicks, and placed in a pan with plenty of tomato sauce. The result: a delicious stuffed squid, to be sliced and served with bread.

A very common fish in the Gulf of Naples, the blackspot seabream is the star of many seafood dishes in the region and on the island of Capri as well. It is particularly prized “all’acqua pazza”—that is, served in a sauce made with fresh cherry tomatoes and a splash of white wine. A very simple dish, yet deeply connected to both the island and the sea that surrounds it.

Here we are at what is—without a doubt—the island’s most beloved and famous dessert. I’m talking, of course, about the Caprese cake! Legend has it that a pastry chef from Capri, Carmine di Fiore, created the cake almost by accident. While preparing a dessert for three mobsters, he forgot—due to the stress of the moment—to add flour to the cake batter. The result, however, amazed everyone! The cake was a huge hit, and the recipe became a Capri classic. If you, too, love to end every meal on a sweet note, then the choice is practically a given: you can’t leave Capri without trying this dessert at least once! It’s a moist cake made with almonds, dark chocolate, eggs, butter, and sugar, and generously dusted with powdered sugar. As I mentioned, there’s no flour in it: it’s a gluten-free dessert, making it suitable for those with celiac disease as well!

The ideal way to end any Capri-style meal is with a liqueur that needs no introduction: limoncello! Although its origins are disputed between Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast, limoncello has a very strong connection to the island of Capri, where lemons are another typical local product widely used in cooking. It is traditionally served chilled after dessert and savored slowly, for a truly spectacular finish.

No article on the island’s culinary traditions would be complete without mentioning its traditional wines. While Capri’s wine production is less well-known than its gastronomic traditions, it is just as important to the local culture. In fact, Capri has its own appellation (Capri DOC) reserved for white and red wines, but to qualify for this designation, the grapes must come exclusively from the island. Capri Rosso is produced primarily from Piedirosso grapes, a Campania variety that is very widespread here. Capri Bianco, on the other hand, is made from Falanghina and Greco Bianco grapes. The white wine is usually the top choice to pair with appetizers, first courses, and seafood main courses due to its freshness, while the red is ideal for more full-bodied dishes, tomato-based dishes, and meat dishes.

In conclusion, Capri’s cuisine certainly doesn’t focus on complexity, but rather on the ability to highlight fresh, distinctive local ingredients, such as tomatoes, basil, mozzarella, fish, and fresh pasta. This is precisely the most wonderful aspect of Capri’s cuisine: there’s no need to overcomplicate it—just sit down at the table, choose simple ingredients, pair them with a glass of wine, and let the atmosphere do the rest.