Typical dish of Reggio Calabria
Reggio-style pasta with swordfish and eggplant
Reggio-style pasta with swordfish and eggplant is a bright, fragrant first course where the colors of the Mediterranean meet on the plate. Tender, flavorful cubes of swordfish mingle with golden eggplant and tomato sauce, creating a balance between sea and land. The result is a rich texture: soft, velvety, and slightly crisp in the fried eggplant. It’s the kind of dish best enjoyed at lunch on bright days overlooking the Strait.
Season: Estate€10–16
Why it matters
This dish perfectly represents the gastronomic identity of Reggio Calabria, where cuisine grows from the meeting of the Strait’s sea and the agricultural traditions of the inland countryside. Swordfish, caught for centuries in local waters, meets eggplant, a symbol of southern rustic cooking. Together they tell the story of the simplicity and abundance of the Reggio table.
Origin story
The recipe was born from the meeting of the seafaring tradition of the Strait of Messina and the widespread use of eggplant in Calabrian cuisine. Over time, fishermen and local families combined freshly caught swordfish with simple ingredients such as tomato, garlic, and basil. Across generations it has become an iconic preparation in the trattorias and home kitchens of Reggio.
Typical ingredients
pesce spadamelanzanepomodoroagliobasilicoolio extravergine d'olivapasta
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