Liguria, land of quality - Turismo in Liguria

P.G.I. products
Protected Geographical Indication
The P.G.I. mark is awarded to those agricultural and food products for
which a certain quality, reputation or another characteristic depends
on their geographical origin, and at least one stage of the production
process (production, transformation, processing) takes place in
that particular area. However, all steps must follow the rules of the
production regulation (Regulation EEC 2081/92).
Anchovies processing
After manually removing the head and viscera, the anchovies are left
to dry for a few hours. The clean anchovies are then placed radially
in barrels, stacked in layers. The maturing can take place in chestnut
wood barrels or clay pots.
Each layer of anchovies must be covered with common sea salt, and on the last layer
a special hardwood disc must be placed and on top of it goes a weight of about 40 to 50 kg.
The maturing process lasts an average of 40 to 50 days. The ideal salting is done when the meat is
firm, consistent and reaches a colour which goes from deep pink to brown. After the maturation, the
anchovies are transferred into cylindrical glass containers called “arbanelle”.
The Ligurian P.G.I. products are the Cured Anchovies of the Ligurian Sea;
the Cheese Focaccia from Recco is going through the awarding stages.
The cheese focaccia from Recco
(next P.G.I.)
The cured anchovies of the Ligurian Sea
The production area includes the whole coast
of Liguria. The anchovies of the Ligurian sea are
preserved by salting, which gives the meat a
compact appearance and a colour ranging from
deep pink to brown.
known as “pan do mâ” (bread of the sea), the
anchovies are one of the most fished products
of the sea and, consequently, one of the most
consumed and exported.
Thanks to the level of salinity of the waters
along the Ligurian coast, the anchovies have a
taste ranging between savouriness and delicacy,
which makes them appreciable not only by
the locals from Liguria, who savour them both
fresh and cured, but also beyond regional
boundaries.
in the Middle ages they already were a
bargaining chip with Piedmont. from the
twelfth century the preservation technique
by curing, salting, and place in olive oil
was perfected. in Liguria, salting is an old
technique. The particular morphology and
regional location (yearly average temperature,
air humidity and salinity of the sea) allow
obtaining an ideal and characteristic level.
Cured anchovies of the Ligurian Sea
The production area of the cheese focaccia from
Recco is represented by the entire territory of
the municipality of recco and the neighbouring
municipalities of avegno, sori and camogli.
according to food historians, the origins of the
“focaccia” date back to the time of the saracen
invasions, when the genoese population, in order
to escape from the invader, took refuge in the
mountains: cheese, flour and a little oil were the
ingredients available in greater quantities and on
which the preparation of the foods which were
part of the daily diet was based upon.
until the end of the 19th century the “focaccia”
was only eaten during the period between the
end of october and early november, especially
on all saints’ day (1st nov). at that time the
cattle were fed partly with fresh forage and
partly with dried forage from the valley, and this
combination gave a slightly sour taste to the milk
and cheese products, making them especially
suitable as filling for the “focaccias”.
although the cheese focaccia from recco
preserves old origins, surely dating back before
the twelfth century, its success as a typical
product is relatively new and can be traced back
to the early 19th century, when the recipe was
rediscovered and promoted by a small group of
local restaurateurs.
Cheese focaccia from Recco
The cheese focaccia from recco is a baked
product obtained from processing a dough
made from soft wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil
“riviera Ligure”, water and salt, stuffed with fresh
cheese. “l.l.t.” (acronym for “latte ligure tracciato”,
i.e. specific for the cheese focaccia) and then
cooked in the oven. The focaccia is then sprinkled
with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil “riviera
Ligure”, and perhaps some salt. cooking must
take place in ovens with a temperature between
270 and 320 ° c for 4 to 8 minutes, until the
surface of the product takes on a golden colour,
with bubbles or brown streaks. it has a circular,
square or rectangular shape, with a height of less
than 1 cm. it is crumbly on top and soft inside.
a real treat for the palate.
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