Specialities from Bastia
While Bastia shares many culinary traditions with the rest of Corsica, there are a few dishes and specialties that are more closely associated with Bastia or the broader Cap Corse region. However, it’s important to note that culinary traditions often overlap across Corsica, and strict distinctions can be difficult to make. That said, here are some dishes and products that have stronger ties to Bastia and its surrounding area:
Specialities from Bastia
- Bastia Cake (Gâteau Bastiais): A sweet bread made with chestnuts, flavored with anise and orange blossom water. While chestnut-based desserts are common throughout Corsica, this particular cake is closely associated with Bastia.
- Migliacci: A savory pancake made with brocciu cheese, typically eaten as a snack or appetizer. While found elsewhere in Corsica, it’s particularly popular in the Bastia area.
- Stoccafissu à Bastiaccia: A cod dish prepared in the Bastia style, usually with tomatoes, onions, and olives.
- Cap Corse wines: While not exclusive to Bastia, the nearby Cap Corse region produces distinctive wines, particularly the Muscat du Cap Corse, a sweet dessert wine.
- Cédrat products: The cédrat (citron in English) is a large citrus fruit grown in the Bastia and Cap Corse area. You might find local products like cédrat jam or candied cédrat.
- U Panu Nustrale: A traditional bread from the Bastia region, made with local wheat varieties.
- Bastia-style Octopus (Poulpe à la Bastiaise): While octopus is eaten throughout Corsica, Bastia has its own preparation method, often involving slow-cooking with wine and herbs.
It’s worth noting that many of these foods can be found elsewhere in Corsica, but they have a special significance or preparation method in Bastia. The city’s cuisine is also heavily influenced by its port location, so you’ll find a variety of fresh seafood dishes that, while not unique to Bastia, are particularly good there due to the fresh catch.
Traditional Bastia Dishes
Bastia, like the rest of Corsica, has a rich culinary tradition that blends French and Italian influences with unique local ingredients. These are typical corsican dishes that you can also find in Bastia (but not only there). They are part of the most popular traditional dishes in Corsica:
- Brocciu: A fresh, soft cheese made from sheep or goat’s milk whey. It’s used in many dishes or eaten on its own.
- Figatellu: A smoked pork liver sausage, often grilled and served as an appetizer or used in various dishes.
- Civet de Sanglier: A hearty wild boar stew, typically cooked with red wine, herbs, and vegetables.
- Veau aux Olives: Veal cooked with local olives, a popular main course.
- Cannelloni au Brocciu: Pasta tubes filled with brocciu cheese and often spinach or herbs.
- Soupe Corse: A hearty vegetable soup that sometimes includes beans and pasta.
- Aziminu: A Corsican version of bouillabaisse, a rich fish soup.
- Charcuterie Plate: Featuring local cured meats like prisuttu (ham), coppa, and lonzu.
- Châtaignes (Chestnuts): Used in various forms – roasted, in flour for bread, or in desserts.
- Fiadone: A cheesecake-like dessert made with brocciu, flavored with lemon zest and eau-de-vie.
- Canistrelli: Small, crisp cookies often flavored with anise, lemon, or chestnut.
- Cap Corse: A local aperitif wine, often served before meals.
civet de sanglier