THE SALTED MIGLIACCIO: THE TYPICAL CARNIVAL RECIPE OF THE AMALFI COAST

Despite being less known than its sweet version, the origins of the salty Migliaccio go back to the Middle Ages. At that time, peasant women did their best not to waste even a shred of the little food they had. In this way, they gave life to always new and ingenious recipes, albeit "poor", created mostly with the leftovers of daily meals or even with what was left after the holidays. This is the case of the praianese Migliaccio: since nothing had to be wasted, they made a sort of pie with the leftovers of pasta and the fat of the pig, cooking an extravagant but excellent delicacy whose recipe was handed down from generation to generation. Over the centuries, of course, the recipe has changed. Initially, it also involved the use of pig's blood, disapproved and judged "pagan" by the Church and therefore replaced by more common ingredients, such as sugar, cinnamon, flour, and eggs. The name of this pie, both in its sweet and savory version, comes from its main ingredient: millet flour, (in Italian “farina di miglio”), now replaced by the more common and easy to find durum wheat semolina.  

Below there is the original recipe, taken from the book "La memoria nell’immagine, Praiano viaggio nel passato" by Giovanni Scala, expert and lover of the history of Praiano. 

The preparation of the salty Migliaccio is not difficult, but it is recommended very slow cooking to achieve a perfect result.

• First, put a saucepan with five liters of salted water on the stove and wait for it to boil. While waiting, beat six eggs in a bowl and mix them with grated cheese, pepper, and a pinch of cinnamon.
• As soon as the water boils, add the pasta and, halfway through cooking, drain part of the water. Slowly add the semolina into the pot and with the help of a wooden ladle, stir vigorously to avoid lumps, add a spoonful of lard, and continue to mix. When the pasta is ready, turn off the heat and pour the egg and cheese mixture into the saucepan, continuing to stir for another minute.
• At this point, grease a pan with the lard and pour half of the mixture, smoothing it well. Add the slices of mozzarella or caciocavallo, the crumbled sausage, the pecorino, and then cover everything with the other half of the mixture, smoothing evenly.
• Cook the pie over low heat on both sides, turning the mixture only when a golden crust has formed. Once cooked, cut the Migliaccio into slices and let it cool for a few minutes before serving it for your apéritif or appetizer.

This dish may be very old, but its goodness has certainly remained intact over the centuries. Enjoy your meal!