Maccarruna, also known as fileja in other areas of Calabria, are a fresh, handmade pasta with a rough surface, ideal for hosting intense sauces. In Portigliola and Sant'Ilario dello Ionio, they become the protagonists of one of the most emblematic dishes of the tradition, which includes a sauce with goat meat sauce, prepared with slow cooking and strong aromas: it is made from a mixture of onion, red wine, tomato, bay leaf and chilli pepper, and envelops the pasta in an embrace of deep flavours. Once reserved for feasts and important Sundays, today this dish represents one of the most authentic expressions of inland Calabrian cuisine, a journey into ancient flavours that speak of patience, memory and conviviality.
