Traditional Neapolitan Street Food and Pastiera

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Street Food is one of the Neapolitan traditions that we not always understand. When you come here and think about your meals, you think about all kinds of restaurants. And there are many of them on every step.

I noticed this difference from other regions of Italy: we have a bar, a trattoria, a restaurant, an osteria, a pizzeria, o'per o'muss, stuzziccheria, paninoteca, bruschetteria etc etc etc at least one every 10 meters. You never have to look where to eat here. You have only understand what do you like more.

One of the most popular is PANINO. It's a kind of sandwich where you can ask to ad anything you like. The table is more or less like this:

So, you can say that you want panino with this, this, this and this. 

Normally, they ad meat (fresh sausage, a piece of meat that you can choose and that will be fried on a special slab, or you can choose just boiled sausage)

The best is when they cook it in front of you. Both sausage or meat will be tasty and good. 

But your sandwich is still not ready. They ad vegetables in the bread. 

The varieties to choose from are infinite, from american stile fry chips to local boiled broccoli, endive, eggplant in olive oil, mixed vegetables both boiled or in olive oil and many others. 

There are fresh vegetables and fresh vegetable salads, too.

You can ask to ad different kinds of vegetables in one sandwich, if you like it. No problem for the vendor. They will ad what you want.

At the end, you can ask to spread mayonnaise or ketchup.

So, panino è ready. 

Normally, they think you will purchase water, or coke, or fanta, or beer, too. 

Where to eat?

 Sometimes, such stalls have 2-3 tables near them, but most persons prefer to eat where they feel it comfortable.

 Neapolitans are very conservative in their alimentary preferences, and they have special kinds of food you can find normally ONLY in this or that occasion.
Now, when I write this post, some days before the Easter, the most popular is a sweet cake named "Pastiera".

The main ingredient of it is cooked whead and sweet quark.
The taste is particular. Personally, I do not like it. But if you visit Italy in this period, you have to taste it. Specially, if you live in an italian family or in a little family hotel.

You can purchase a pastiera if you visit Italy in this period, Easter, and offer it to your italian friends, too.