Gourmet recipes
In Bastia, cuisine is a matter of the heart, the seasons and the land. Nestled between the sea and the mountains, Bastia's recipes draw their character from authentic local produce and expertise passed down from generation to generation.
Savoury dishes full of character, iconic sweet treats and flavours from the maquis make up a simple and sincere cuisine, waiting to be discovered... and savoured.
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aziminu, rockfish soup
A rockfish stew, often compared to bouillabaisse, it embodies the island’s identity: rustic, raw, closely linked to the day’s catch and family traditions. Formerly prepared by fishermen with unsold or damaged fish, Aziminu is now a convivial, generous dish that brings people together around the table and tells the story of the Mediterranean.
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
- 1.5 to 2 kg of assorted rock fish (scorpion fish, gurnard, weever, red mullet, conger eel, John Dory, depending on the catch)
- 2 onions
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 ripe tomatoes or 400 g of chopped tomatoes
- 1 leek
- 1 stick of celery
- 1 glass of dry white wine
- 1 bouquet garni (bay leaf, thyme, parsley)
- Olive oil
- Salt, pepper and chilli (to taste)
- Water or fish stock
Prepare the fish
Scale, gut and rinse the fish. Cut the larger ones into pieces, leave the smaller ones whole.
Sauté the aromatic base
Heat a generous dash of olive oil in a large pot. Add the sliced onions, leek and finely chopped celery. Sweat gently without browning. Add the crushed garlic and tomatoes. Leave to simmer for a few minutes.
Cooking the soup
Place the fish in the pot, pour in the white wine and allow to evaporate slightly. Cover with water (or fish stock), add the bouquet garni, season with salt and pepper and add a pinch of chilli. Simmer for 35 to 45 minutes, without ever boiling too vigorously.
Finishing
Remove the fish and pass the broth through a food mill or sieve to obtain a smooth and fragrant soup. Adjust the seasoning.
The Storzapretti
Storzapretti, literally ‘priest stranglers’. Their name intrigues, amuses and sometimes worries people… but their taste is universally agreed upon. An iconic speciality of Bastia cuisine, these savoury dumplings made from Swiss chard and brocciu cheese were born out of inventive peasant cuisine, where simple ingredients were transformed into generous dishes.
Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):
- 200 g fresh brocciu cheese
- 150 g Swiss chard leaves
- 1 egg
- 50 g grated Corsican tomme cheese
- 1 pinch of nepita
- Breadcrumbs
- Tomato sauce
- Flour
- Salt, pepper
- Tomato sauce
Prepare the Swiss chard
Wash the Swiss chard leaves thoroughly and poach them for 2 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain them very carefully, squeeze them to remove as much water as possible, then leave them to cool before chopping them finely.
Make the mixture
Crumble the brocciu cheese into a large bowl. Add the chopped Swiss chard, egg and nepita. Season with salt and pepper and mix well. Gradually add a little breadcrumbs until you have a soft dough that is firm enough to form into dumplings.
Shape and poach
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Lightly flour the dumplings using two spoons. Gently place them in the simmering water. The storzapretti are cooked as soon as they rise to the surface. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Assemble and brown
Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pour a layer of tomato sauce into a gratin dish. Arrange the storzapretti on top. Sprinkle with grated Corsican tomme cheese. Bake until golden brown. Serve piping hot.
The pastizzu
A traditional Corsican dessert similar to flan, Pastizzu is the heir to a family cuisine where brocciu, the star of island tables, is transformed into a delicate dessert. Simple in appearance, deeply rooted in Corsican culinary heritage, it ends a meal with sweetness and authenticity.
Ingredients (serves 6 to 8):
- 500 g fresh brocciu cheese
- 150 g sugar
- 4 eggs
- 80 g flour
- Zest of one untreated lemon
- 1 sachet baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- Butter (for the mould)
Prepare the mixture
Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, mash the brocciu until smooth. Add the sugar, then the eggs one by one, mixing gently.
Flavour and bind
Add the finely grated lemon zest, a pinch of salt, then the sifted flour with the baking powder. Mix until you obtain a smooth, supple and slightly thick batter.
Baking
Generously butter a baking tin. Pour in the mixture and smooth the surface. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The Pastizzu should be golden brown on top and moist in the centre.
