In the Irpinia - Avellino area, good food must be joined by a great wine. Three important DOCG labels are considered the top of the local wines: Fiano of Avellino, Greco di Tufo and Taurasi
The cooking is rich of a selection of local vegetables and products such as salami and cheeses. Simple and folkloristic like the whole area.
Worth of mention between the local products: hors d'oeuvre of sliced ham, salami and salted ricotta cheese, maccheroni (pasta) with meat or game ragout sauces, grilled meats.
The sheep, cow or goat milk cheeses are authentic specialities of the area. Not to miss: the mozzarella cheese, fresh and salted ricotta cheese, the straw coloured caciocavallo podalico, the pecorino carmasciano (a goat cheese which takes its name from the district at 1000 metres, where it is produced), the caciocavallo irpino and the cacio ricotta.
Superb vegetables grow here like the copper-coloured onions of Monitoro, the porcini mushrooms, the black truffle of Bagnoli, the tasty annurca apple labelled IGP, the chestnut of Montella labelled IGP, (without doubt one of the Italian best, used by most of the famous confectionary industries in cream, marmalade and candied chestnut preparations.
The ground meats (hams and salami) are one of the important elements of the local manufacture, where pork farms have antique traditions and are in line with the actual environment models. Capicolli, salami and ham are very tasty. Not to undervalue are the local sausages, fresh or seasoned, like those of Avellino, that are exalted by the tasty touch of chilli pepper and invite you to taste a strong red wine.
It is not possible to resist the temptation to try a great plate of fresh pasta (fusilli, cavatelli, tagliolini, lagane, ravioli, orecchiette) and a main course of meat (grilled chicken, lamb or rabbits seasoned with a series of herbs) or a folk pizza (filled with chicory and ricotta cheese).
The province of Avellino offers a series of top quality DOCG wines of International fame, such as: Taurasi, the king of the red wines; Greco di Tufo and Fiano, two special white wines with an unbeatable taste.