The menus of LA CUCINA DEL MONASTERO
Our kitchen, under the direction of Chef Michelangelo Iacono, takes guests on a journey to discover the flavours of Ischia, with three menus that pay homage to the island's traditions.
Chef Iacono deserves credit for wanting to pay homage to both island traditions and for being the first on Ischia to adopt the concepts of Merecoppe, Merevascio, and Cala Cala (a skilful blend of the two cuisines) in the kitchen, creating the tasting menus that characterise our offer.
The aim is to offer simple but refined dishes that highlight the raw ingredients, always of excellent quality, from the vegetables — mostly grown in our 100% organic garden (which can be visited on request) or bought from local farms — to the fish and meat — always fresh — and the bread, baked daily with sourdough.
Merecoppe
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It is a tribute to the local cuisine of our island: the term Merecoppe (from the Greek "mèros", which means part, region, and from the Neapolitan dialect expression "n'copp", which means above, on top) translates as "upper part of the island" and refers to the hilly areas, mostly rural in nature. In Merecoppe, people lived on the fruits of the land, bred rabbits and made wine, eating mainly white meat, eggs, potatoes and lots of vegetables.
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Raw and cooked seasonal vegetables
Bio local egg "a zuppetella"
Raviolo "water and flour" with broad beans, ventresca (local bacon) and provolone del monaco cheese
Candele pasta with rabbit sauce
Miniature meatballs
Little desserts
Merevascio
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The menu is a tribute to the Ischian seafood cuisine; the term Merevascio (from the Greek "mèros", meaning part, region, and from the Neapolitan dialect expression "vascio", meaning below) means "lower part of the island" and refers to the coastal areas of Ischia. The inhabitants of Merevascio were almost all fishermen or small merchants, who ate mainly fish and seafood.
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Tartare of the day with green apple and crunchy vegetables
Prawns, artichoke and potatoes
Citrus risotto with squids and wild fennel
Pasta and peas with cuttlefish and prawns
Codfish with orange
Little desserts
Cala Cala
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The rivalry between Merecoppe and Merevascio was overcome from time to time by the practice of Cala Cala, or the exchange of products between fishermen and farmers. From the land overlooking the sea of Cartaromana, the peasants would lower a basket of vegetables, wine and meat to the fishermen waiting on the boats down below; the basket would come back up, in the bucolic world of Merecoppe, full of shining fish.
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Fish carpaccio with "cipeccia" (sweet onion) and white cabbage
Prawns, artichoke and potatoes
Citrus risotto with squids and wild fennel
Pasta and peas with cuttlefish and prawns
Roasted "torciuta" escarole with catch of the day
Little desserts
Insula minor
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The islet on which the Aragonese Castle stands was called Insula Minor ("minor island", as opposed to the Insula Maior, "major", or Ischia). Five hundred years ago, the Poor Clare nuns drew their main sustenance from the convent's hortus conclusus, that space protected from the wind and indiscreet eyes that is now our kitchen garden. Based on Merecoppe and Merevascio, we have created a menu for those who have chosen a vegetarian diet, so that you can enjoy the flavours, colours and aromas of our cuisine with a light heart.
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Raw and cooked seasonal vegetables
Bio local egg "a zuppetella"
Raviolo "water and flour" with broad beans and provolone del monaco cheese
Pasta and peas with white cabbage
Artichoke and potatoes
Little desserts