In Gioia Tauro to taste the traditional stroncatura

The current city of Gioia Tauro corresponds to the ancient Greek polis of Metauros and stretches across the plain that bears its name, the fertile Plain of Gioia Tauro, where, among other typicalities, the prized mandarins known as Clementine of Calabria PGI are produced. We are at the centre of one of the most important productive and commercial outposts in the region: from its earliest history, the great Port of Gioia Tauro, overlooking the coast of the Tyrrhenian Sea, in the gulf of the same name, has been a naval, industrial and strategic hub of primary importance for relations between Calabria, the Mediterranean and the rest of the world.

The very history of pasta stroncatura in Gioia Tauro is linked to the naval trade, since the origins of this delicacy, which has become to all intents and purposes an identifying dish of Calabrian gastronomic tradition, actually come from Campania. It was the end of the 19th century when a large community of merchants from Amalfi traded raw materials with Gioia Tauro, starting with the fine grains of the Amalfi Coast, already famous for pasta production at the time. Local tradition has it that Stroncatura di Gioia Tauro originated, both in its format and name, from the collection of waste from the milling of wheat (the so-called scopature or stroncature): a sort of short, dark fettuccine, which the poorest millers would set aside to then knead with water, draw them out and lay out to dry in their cellars.

Thus was born the traditional ‘’Struncatura‘’ of Gioia Tauro, a poor man's pasta made for the poor, characterised by its unmistakable dark colour still due to the use of wholemeal flours and coarsely milled durum wheat. A full-bodied pasta to the palate but highly digestible, the Stroncatura of Gioia Tauro is the pride of Gioia Tauro's and Calabria's culinary heritage in general, appreciated all over the world and the protagonist of the much-awaited ‘’Struncatura Festival in Gioia Tauro‘’ held every year in August on the seafront. Any typical recipes? Local restaurants serve it mainly in two versions, which please both fish and meat lovers: the ‘’ammollicàta‘’ version, i.e. seasoned with anchovies, breadcrumbs and dried tomatoes; or the spicy version, with ‘Nduja di Spilinga.

Those who come to taste the Stroncatura of Gioia Tauro can indulge in a tour of the city and its surroundings, discovering the interesting area of the industrial port, the largest in Calabria, and the historical centre in the hills. The latter, at Piano delle Fosse, constitutes the ancient medieval core of the city. The village stands on a panoramic hill, at the time fortified with Saracen walls and towers.

Among the alleys and squares, you can admire the 16th-century Church of Sant'Antonio, the Cathedral of Sant'Ippolito Martire and several noble palaces, including the ancient Baldari Palace, an 18th-century building used by the Bourbons as an armoury, now the symbol of Gioia Tauro and home to the Metauros Archaeological Museum. Also of interest is the Opificio ex Gaslini, which was founded in the 19th century as a refinery used to process pomace, oils and soaps. Of the old refinery, the central façade and one of the two original towers remain visible.