Snails Calabrian Style

I present to you the recipe for Calabrian style snails, a traditional dish from Calabrian cuisine that stands out for its rustic and intense flavor. Before proceeding, remember that it’s important to clean and purge the snails well if they are not already prepared for cooking.

Ingredients

• 1 kg of snails
• 500 ml of tomato passata
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 hot chili pepper
• 50 ml of extra virgin olive oil
• 100 ml of white wine
• A bunch of fresh parsley
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Begin by purging the snails if necessary, leaving them for several days in a container with flour or bran, then rinse them under running water to remove impurities.
2. Boil the snails in salted water for about 10 minutes, then drain them and remove the membrane covering the opening of the shell.
3. In a large frying pan, sauté the chopped garlic and chili pepper in the extra virgin olive oil until the garlic turns golden.
4. Add the sautéed snails to the pan and let them flavor.
5. Deglaze with the white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.
6. Add the tomato passata, salt to taste and cover with a lid, letting it cook for about an hour on low heat.
7. At the end of cooking, add plenty of chopped parsley and stir.
8. Serve the snails hot, accompanied by homemade bread for dipping.

Curiosity

Snails are an ancient ingredient in the Mediterranean diet and represent a culinary tradition in different parts of Italy, particularly in Calabria where they are prepared in various ways, often enriched with local spices and herbs that enhance their flavor.