Top 6 traditional Corsican recipes
Beaches, mountains, nature reserves, nature, museums, religious art... There's so much more to see in Corsica. Tasting traditional dishes on your Corsican vacation is another way to discover the Isle of Beauty. Corsican cuisine has much in common with Italian cuisine and, in particular, with Tuscan cuisine. Traditional Corsican cuisine is revisited in the finest hotels, but remains authentic in the island's charming restaurants. It's also an opportunity to appreciate local specialities, some of them quite surprising.
Let's start our top 6 with :
1. Traditional Corsican soup, awinterdish
This thick soup is mainly made with white beans, seasonal vegetables, pasta, pieces of lardon or pancetta, and prisuttu (Corsican ham) or other Corsican charcuterie. It is often served as a main course. There are many variations, depending on the season and region.
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. Aziminu: Corsican bouillabaisse
A bouillabaisse prepared with lobster, seafood (fish, langoustines, Saint Pierre, conger eel, crab...) and herbs. It's a traditional Corsican dish inspired by the Italian cacciucco, a lightly spiced fish soup. It is served in Corsican restaurants.
3. Veal stufatu* with olives and "stufatu di cignale
Often reworked and revisited, this typically Corsican recipe is prepared with veal (from Corsica!), prisuttu, pitted green olives, Corsican red wine and herbs. It's served as a main course.
A traditional Corsican dish, civet de sanglier corse or " stufatu di cignale "can be enjoyed summer or winter. There are many recipes for this meat of character, including wild boar civet with myrtle or chestnut. The wild boar is cooked for a long time with Corsican red wine, a bouquet garni, onion and garlic.
*Means "simmered" in Italian and Corsican.
4. Pulenta de châtaigne ("a pulenda", Corsican polenta)
Made with chestnut flour, this essential Corsican winter recipe is served with figatellu, brocciu, fried eggs and panzetta. A great classic of Corsican cuisine, it can be ordered from November to March, as well as at Christmas markets. Two recipes for Pulenta exist in Corsica: Pulenta di Castagniccia and Pulenta di U Fium'Orbu, which is simpler and less elaborate.
5. Eggplants à la Bonifacienne
This is the specialty of the far south. While everywhere else eggplants are stuffed with meat, in Bonifacio they're stuffed with cheese on a bed of homemade tomato sauce. Corsican cheese is given pride of place, as 3 types of cheese are incorporated with breadcrumbs soaked in milk, not forgetting basil. A real treat!
6. Dessert specialities: canistrelli and frappes
Corsican gastronomy varies from season to season and from region to region. There are also traditional desserts not to be missed, such as traditional Corsican cookies or Canistrelli (we prefer them with white wine), fritters or frappi or the Fiadone.
For an authentic stay and to enrich your experience of Corsica, treat yourself to the La route des Sens Authentiques tour. A journey to the heart of rural Corsica, with the opportunity to discover Corsican culinary specialties in restaurants with the "Gusti di Corsica" label. "Gusti di Corsica.
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What's the typical Corsican dish?
The typical dish that symbolizes the unity of culinary traditions across the various regions of Corsica is wild boar civet. This dish perfectly illustrates the richness of Corsican gastronomy, renowned for its ability to marry the flavors of the maquis with those of local produce. The preparation of wild boar civet requires a long, slow cooking process, allowing the meat to fully absorb the aromas of the red sauce - a local expression for tomato sauce - enhanced by quality olive oils, reflecting the importance of these ingredients in Corsican cuisine. This dish is mainly eaten in the family, reflecting the island's culinary traditions that have been handed down from generation to generation. Despite its family character, wild boar civet sometimes finds its way onto the menu of local restaurants, offering visitors a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the authenticity of Corsican flavors. Tasting it is an experience that goes beyond simple eating, inviting you to share a moment of conviviality and tradition.
What meats are available in Corsica?
In Corsica, prized meats include:
Porc Nustrale: Produces local charcuterie such as figatellu and prisuttu, thanks to a diet rich in acorns and chestnuts.
Wild boar: Used in civets, its dark, rich meat is a classic of Corsican cuisine.
Milk-fed lamb: Raised in the mountains, its tender meat is often roasted or stewed.
Veal: exclusively milk-fed, offering delicate meat.
Goat and Sheep: Their meat is appreciated grilled or stewed, accompanied by herbs from the maquis.