Typical dish of Reggio Calabria
Pasta with Reggio-style stockfish
A dish with the intense aroma of the sea and the Mediterranean: short pasta wrapped in a bright red sauce where the stockfish breaks into tender flakes. The tomato intertwines with the savory notes of olives and capers, creating a bold and aromatic balance. The texture is rustic and satisfying, with the pasta holding onto the rich, fragrant sauce. It’s the kind of first course that takes center stage at family lunches or in trattorias overlooking the Strait.
Season: Tutto l'anno€8–14
Why it matters
In Reggio Calabria, stocco is much more than an ingredient: it is a symbol of the local cuisine and of the historical ties with Northern European trade. Pasta with Reggio-style stockfish tells the story of the city’s ability to transform a preserved fish from the northern seas into a Mediterranean masterpiece. It is one of the dishes that best represents the gastronomic identity of Reggio.
Origin story
The tradition of stockfish in Calabria dates back to the centuries of maritime trade between Southern Italy and northern merchants, when dried fish arrived in the ports of the Strait. In Reggio Calabria, a cuisine dedicated to “stocco” developed, often cooked with tomato, olives, and capers. Over time this sauce was adapted for pasta, becoming one of the most recognizable first courses of Reggio’s culinary tradition.
Typical ingredients
pasta cortastoccafisso ammollatopomodoroolive nerecapperiaglioolio extravergine d'olivaprezzemolo
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