THE DISH I COME HOME TO: ANTONIO ESPOSITO, GATTÒ DI PATATE

‘Le gateau’ became il gattò in Neapolitan, and while to the north of the Alps the term was more likely to denote a sweet cake than a savoury one, the opposite was true in Naples. Gattò was the local term for what in English we would call a bake – and the Neapolitan bake per eccellenza is the gattò di patate.

A fantastic, protein and vitamin-packed winter warmer which is just as good on cooler spring and autumn days, this is the classic Neapolitan comfort food, one associated with the safe, affectionate embrace of the family home. That’s exactly how it is viewed by Antonio Esposito, one of Le Sirenuse’s young sous chefs. “It’s the dish my grandmother always made for me back home in Castellammare”, he tells the Sirenuse Journal. “In fact, she still does. When I have a day off, or in autumn, as soon as the hotel season is over, I’ll head over to the family house and nonna will immediately start in on making a gattò – it’s her way of welcoming me back”.

Salame napoletano is a prized local sausage variety with no more than 25% fat; if you can’t source it where you are, any good Italian salami with a similar meat-to-fat ratio should do. Scamorza is a hard southern Italian cow’s milk cheese that comes in both plain and smoked versions. You are welcome to use smoked if you like the taste, but be aware that it can overpower the other flavors.