Savory Neapolitan Migliaccio
The savory migliaccio is the savory version of the sweet migliaccio, both are typical recipes of Neapolitan Carnival and are usually prepared for Fat Tuesday.
The savory migliaccio (in dialect “a’ Pizza ‘e Farenella”) is a rustic pie made with cornmeal (or semolina). The recipe was born during the war when food was scarce, and the only available food was wheat.
The savory Neapolitan migliaccio is a very appetizing savory pie that everyone always enjoys and therefore can be prepared all year round, not just at Carnival, and it is also perfect for Easter, particularly easy to transport for Easter Monday picnics. Moreover, it is a simple and practical dish to prepare as it can be prepared the day before and, due to the richness of ingredients, can also serve as a single dish.
If instead of preparing the savory migliaccio with semolina, you use cornmeal, you will get a gluten-free savory migliaccio.
You can substitute lard with butter.
The ancient recipe included ingredients such as white cornmeal (alternatively semolina), lard, pork cracklings, and cheese rinds, all of which were cheap and easily obtainable ingredients for peasant families.
Over time, the recipe for this tasty rustic dish has remained almost the same, the only variation being the addition of some cured meats. Being a traditional recipe, numerous family variations exist.
If you have some semolina left over, you can make my “Roman-style semolina gnocchi“.
If you’re looking for other sweet and savory recipes for Carnival, click on my “Carnival Special“.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: Regional Italian
- Region: Campania
- Seasonality: Carnival, Easter
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup fine cornmeal (or Semolina)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp lard (or butter)
- 1 tsp salt
- to taste black peppercorns (ground)
- 1 cup ricotta (Roman)
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3 whole eggs (+ half a beaten egg)
- 3/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 cup smoked scamorza cheese (diced)
- 1 cup smoked provola cheese (diced)
- 2 oz mortadella (diced)
- 2 oz Neapolitan salami (sliced)
- 1 tbsp whole milk (to thin the mixture)
- to taste grated Parmesan cheese (for the surface, optional)
Tools
- Bowls
- Cutting Board with side trays for scraps
- Mezzaluna with double blade
- Saucepan
- Hand Whisk
- Springform Pan 9.5 inches in diameter, non-stick
Steps
If possible, the day before preparing the savory migliaccio, let the ricotta drain in the fridge.
I use fine cornmeal because it is gluten-free and has a coarser texture compared to semolina, resulting in a more rustic savory migliaccio.
Take a saucepan and pour in the 1/2 cup of milk, the lard (or butter), 1 tsp of fine salt, and the pepper – as soon as the mixture comes to a boil – remove the saucepan from the heat and gradually add the cornmeal (or semolina) while mixing well with a hand whisk to avoid lumps.
Then, put the saucepan back on low heat and stir until the mixture sizzles and detaches from the sides (this will take about 4-5 minutes).
At this point, take a bowl and mix the sieved ricotta (at room temperature) and the sugar. Then take another bowl and beat the whole eggs (3 whole eggs + half of 1 whole egg beaten separately) with 3/4 tsp of salt and pepper.
Add the now-cooled cornmeal (or semolina) mixture to the ricotta bowl, mix well, then add the cured meats and cheeses, 1 tbsp of milk to thin, and finally the previously beaten eggs.
Mix all the dough well (it should be creamy and well combined) and pour it into a 9.5-inch springform pan, greased with lard (or butter) and dusted with cornmeal (or semolina).
Level the surface with a spatula and, if desired, sprinkle with ground black pepper and grated Parmesan (optional).
Bake the savory migliaccio in a preheated oven at 392°F for 45 minutes. Then remove it from the oven, wait 20 minutes, and serve hot and melty.
The savory Neapolitan migliaccio is also delicious cold, but I prefer it hot, even better if reheated the next day in the oven, microwave, or air fryer.
Notes and Tips
You can make the savory migliaccio using the cured meats and cheeses you prefer, originally the recipe included adding Neapolitan cicoli to the mixture.
Shopping Tips!!!
To chop cured meats and cheeses, I used this very handy cutting board with two side trays: one for collecting the cut food, the other for collecting the scraps.
This double-blade mezzaluna is very sharp and I recommend it for chopping and mincing food.
24 cm diameter springform pan with non-stick coating is free from BPA, PFOA, and heavy metals.
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Savory migliaccio with semolina or cornmeal?
The migliaccio can be made with either semolina or cornmeal; in the latter case, you will get a gluten-free savory migliaccio.
How to store savory migliaccio?
The savory Neapolitan migliaccio can be stored in the refrigerator for about 3 days, or you can freeze it in slices.
Difference between semolina, fine cornmeal, and cornmeal flour
Semolina contains gluten. On the other hand, cornmeal does NOT contain gluten.
Cornmeal flour has a very fine granulation and is suitable for making pastries and cookies. Fine cornmeal has a coarser granulation than cornmeal flour. If you want a more rustic and gluten-free migliaccio, you can use fine cornmeal; otherwise, both semolina (with gluten) and cornmeal flour (gluten-free) work well.
