Lent should mean Lean
In quaresima si mangia di magro!
With the arrival of Ash Wednesday immediately after Shrove Tuesday, the Carnival period formally ends and the 40-day ‘penitential’ period of Lent separates Christians from the coming Easter celebrations.
During this period, abstinence should be practised, or at least aimed for. Practically speaking, this means not consuming foods which contain such elements or ingredients as meat, eggs, fat etc.
“Finito Carnevà, finito amore, finito de staccià farina ‘e fiore, finito de magnà le castagnole”
Despite the kaleidoscopic and historic gastronomic variations across the regions of Italy, a certain common denominator is clearly evident in the recipes traditionally proposed during Lent.
We are talking about lean or white meat, vegetables and pulses, bread and even polenta, all forming a temporary diet.
Yet, even without meat there was still fish, pasta and even eggs with the early Spring weather conducive to hens resuming production.
It was once a very strict affair and Lent had to be observed scrupulously. In the Middle Ages, for example, anyone who transgressed could even have faced a death penalty.
“Today, this is no longer the case and the religious precept is restricted to a few days.”
A Lent favourite has always been cod either salted and fresh (image below) or dried to become stockfish or ‘stoccafisso’. Classics of their kind.
Indeed, the availability of cod was facilitated not only by the rule prohibiting the consumption of meat during Lent, but also because of aspects of its preservation which made it suitable for being transported over long distances.
Think the North Sea and Iceland.
This is why we find cod as a staple and tasty ingredient in Italian soups such as stoccafisso 'accomodato' or 'alla genovese'. The latter also featuring a stew of potatoes and Taggiasca olives from Liguria.
Or fried in batter with tomatoes in Neapolitan cuisine, boiled with potatoes in Lazio, or whipped with milk in Veneto to be then accompanied by a steaming hot polenta.
And so on in all regions.
Do look out for a version in Basilicata where salted cod with 'peperoni cruschi' is a signature dish of the region.
In northern Friuli, salted cod is known as 'alla cappuccina' thanks to the monks who added a touch of sweetness by using cinnamon and sugar.
Another recipe, dating from the 16th century, is salted cod prepared by Capuchin monks in Padua typically accompanied by a sweet and sour sauce of anchovies, onions, sultanas and pine nuts.
From the region of Campania, quaresima has given us a tasty anchovy pie as well as something called a ‘frittata di scamarro’ with black olives, capers, anchovies, sultanas, pine nuts and olive oil.
The name refers to its ‘thin’ appearance and was a dish prepared in the convents of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to observe the days of fasting.
“By all accounts it was certainly very tasty.”
In Calabria, Diamante to be precise, they prepare ‘alici arriganate’ or ‘raganella di alici’ with stale bread, parsley, oregano and chilli pepper.
In Piedmont, the famous bagna cauda is a hot sauce made of anchovies, olive oil and vegetables. The recipe has never really changed and such is its local popularity it is enjoyed all year round, not only during the period of Lent.
Do seek out the annual celebration that is Bagna Cauda Day, typically held in the last week of November.
There is something to be said for frugal eating. If you had little at hand you had to be creative with it. Making such meals more appetizing required a certain imagination to make the most of the raw materials available.
Nevertheless, a lean regime is not necessarily a penance.
There was always enough food to put together complete and very tasty meals. Even banquets. The sumptuous tables of the Courts were never empty and they saw Lent as an opportunity to impress with sophisticated creativity.
For example, the famous Renaissance cook Martino invented ‘camouflaged’ food.
A humble egg would be cooked and presented simply to guests. But only in appearance. In reality, within that plain exterior there could be a rich preparation of almond paste, rice, sugar, saffron and water.
The same might be said for the ‘Cappone Magro’ from Liguria prepared for the tables of the Genovese nobility.
A simple galette of bread soaked in water and vinegar could be seasoned with tuna, anchovies and olives or enriched further with lavish additions of other ingredients such as fresh fish, local vegetables and a tasty sauce.
A popular version is still an entrée at receptions in the territory today.
As for desserts, the dolci of Lent feature from north to south albeit with regional variations. Typical are biscuits similar to cantucci but made with only egg whites whipped with sugar and almond paste.
Again, imagination is required to be both faithful to quaresima while also proposing a certain tastiness from the few ingredients allowed.
In Florence and Tuscany, ramerino bread with sultanas and rosemary was once flavoured with zibibbo liqueur.
In Rome, a similar concoction, the maritozzo, was enriched with honey, pine nuts and candied fruit. If you were a betrothed couple, then it might have just been filled with sweet cream.
In short, the period of Lent, thanks to the imagination of creative cooks, has introduced some very tasty dishes into Italian cuisine, albeit with few ingredients!
To make our point, consider the following.
A Menu for Lent by Pellegrino Artusi
Zuppa nel brodo di pesci, baccalà Montebianco, crostini di caviale, gnocchi alla Romana, pesce a taglio in umido, anguilla, pasticini di marzapane, gelato di pistacchio.
Translated: Soup in a fish broth, Montebianco cod, caviar on toasted bread, Roman-style gnocchi pasta, stewed fish portions, eel, marzipan pastries, pistachio ice cream.