Large gastronomy and diffuse food culture

Very high is the number of restaurants operating in Astesana and Riviera, all inspired by local kitchen, more or less traditional; some are of international reputation, others follow simple style and in recent years were born modern wine bars and taverns that privilege the service of wines, accompanied by good dishes and many young chefs are growing. Relevant the importance of fish in the sea food, that retains its strong link with the traditional cuisine of the territory.

The characters of the two areas are clearly identifiable.

Fine meats and hill courses

The kitchen of Astesana offers seasonal ideas, mainly associated with vegetables and truffle (from mid September to late December), but is essentially constant throughout the year. Lot of typical recipes: among the appetizers: raw meat, several small omelets (potatoes, onions, green herbs), the rabbit tuna, the real raw mushroom salad, anchovies in green, salami and ham, the cotechino, bacon, carpione (zucchini, eggs, steaks), raw or cooked tripe salad, Russian salad, veal tongue with sauce, stuffed peppers, round peppers with anchovy, stuffed eggs, veal with tuna sauce, eggs and peas, marinated eel, cod and potatoes.
The main pasta dishes are: agnolotti (of various shapes, usually with meat, vegetables and grated cheese, seasoned in various ways, even submerged in wine), potato gnocchi, noodles, rice especially with Barbera, bean soup, chickpea soup, lasagna, rice and various soups of vegetables.
Some dishes are unique, in the sense that the meal consists of just one course: polenta (with various seasonings), bagna cauda (with all the vegetables, cooked or raw), fondue, mixed fried (at least 11 types of offal and vegetables, including apple and semolina), real boiled meat (with five cuts of beef plus chicken and cotechino) with various sauces, peppers with sausage and eggs.

Among second courses: besides the mentioned boiled meat, roast beef, veal shank, oxtail, roast rabbit with various side dishes, roast chicken, fried or stewed cod, fried frogs, snails, tripe, green cake, batsuà (pork), fried or sautéed mushrooms, san crau (cabbage and pork ribs), fried eggs with truffles.

And it is evident in this gastronomic picture, the dominant role of beef in Astesana: the breeding of fine Piedmont breed, here conducted in small family farms (almost all farms are run directly by the family farmer), producing exceptional meat not only for the purposes of cooking (memorable the shin cooked with the bone or the exceptional “bollito misto”) but particularly for raw consumption.

The typical pastries are: zabaglione (with wine), the bunet, panna cotta, various cakes (chestnut, hazelnut, apple, pumpkin), stuffed peaches, cooked and caramelized pears. The dried cakes are nougat (hard and with hazelnuts or chocolate), the amaretti of various types, the pastries of corn, baci di dama (lady's kisses), i brutti e buoni (bad and good, with egg white), the torcetti, chocolate truffles, the tirà.

The triumph of herbs of Riviera

The Riviera offers the harmonious combination of seafood, powered by a sea of high capacity, and the traditional Ligurian cuisine, which is mostly of territory.
Winners of this match are the flavors of extra virgin olive oil DOP Riviera Ligure (Riviera del Ponente Savonese mention) and the fragrant basil.
When worldwide food experts have established the value of the "Mediterranean diet", have substantially completed the portrait of the Riviera traditional cuisine: pasta, even stuffed, fresh vegetables, herbs, olive oil, fish and fruit .
The traditional inland cuisine is built mainly on truly exceptional aromas of herbs of the area, without forgetting the purple and rich garlic, which is typical of Ranzo and Vessalico. Moreover basil and garlic are the bases of the pesto, with the olive oil of course.
The aromas dominate the pasta dishes and soups, accompanying mushrooms and appearing again in the courses of stuffed vegetables. The delicacy of vegetables, artichokes, eggplant, asparagus so give maximum importance to the creativity of cooking as main course of the western Ligurian cuisine. The vegetables also dominate in stuffed pasta (ravioli and tortellini), in the preparation of gnocchetti, in the sauce of noodles. Vegetables also for the cima alla Genovese, common in this land. A special quote for the excellent purple asparagus of Albenga. The plain of Albenga is a mine of quality for all vegetables. It’s a stimulating cuisine for the rich potions, but with a constant care for the delicacy and lightness of the dishes. Thanks to extra virgin olive oil and herbs, but also to a kind of rolled out pastry.

No fish in inland cuisine, rarely stuffed anchovies, but very important in the local practice is a fish coming from the North Sea, cod or baccalà.