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The Traditional Corsican Menu

Posted on 02/08/2024, Updated 3 hours ago
Beignets au fromage au Restaurant I Fratelli à RapaleBeignets de courgettes au Restaurant L'Agnone à Lucciana
Corsican Menu

The typical Corsican restaurant menu

Most restaurants and farmhouse inns offer at least some of the island's culinary specialities, revealing Corsica's gastronomic heritage. Without being able to list them all, here's what a traditional Corsican restaurant menu looks like.

Corsican starters with cheese and charcuterie

Corsican Charcuterie Platter at Restaurant A Funtanella in ZiliaCorsican Charcuterie Platter at Restaurant A Funtanella in ZiliaCharcuterie Plate at Auberge de la Restonica in Corte
Corsican Charcuterie and Melon at Restaurant U San Larenzu in AullèneCorsican Charcuterie at Restaurant U Campanile in VivarioCorsican Charcuterie at Restaurant l'Agnòne in LuccianaCorsican Charcuterie Plate at Restaurant I Fratelli in RapaleCharcuterie Plate at Restaurant l'Aiglon in ZonzaCharcuterie Plate at Restaurant Cala di Sole in CostaCharcuterie Plate at Restaurant A Casetta in Cuttoli

Charcuterie platter

The flagship product of Corsican gastronomy, the charcuterie platter is on most restaurant menus: sausage, coppa, lonzu and prisuttu. In summer, it's often served with melon, especially for prisuttu (Corsican ham).

Here are just a few of the colorful charcuterie dishes you'll find in our traditional Corsican restaurants in Aullène, Zilia, Rapale, Lucciana, Vivario, Corte and Zonza.

Cheese fritters

Cheese fritters are another step up from the traditional menu. Unlike charcuterie, which can be preserved and simply sliced, these fresh cheese fritters require preparation before being cooked in oil, and therefore require the restaurateur to obtain the raw material from local shepherds, who deliver them regularly.

Another traditional cheese is migliaccioli or scheccette, made with brocciu.

Zucchini Fritters at Restaurant L'Agnone in LuccianaCheese Fritters at Restaurant I Fuletti in FolelliCheese Fritters at Restaurant A Casella in Farinole
Scheccette at Restaurant A Casella in Farinole
Bastelle, Onion or zucchini fritters, Herb pie

Less common on restaurant menus, but just as excellent, fritters can be cooked in a variety of sweet or savory forms, such as onion or zucchini fritters.

Another example is tourte aux herbes, a herb pastry made with spinach or Swiss chard, a Mediterranean recipe that is cooked differently in the Nice region. Or wild boar terrines, Corsican soup, etc.

Beignets de courgettes au Restaurant L'Agnone à LuccianaBeignets de courgettes au Restaurant Santa Cristi à Casabianca

Many other typically Corsican starters are offered to a lesser extent. Whenever you come across them on a menu, they are a strong indication of traditional cuisine.

Corsican charcuterie is one of the must-try specialties. In winter, figatellu becomes king with its unique taste. Cooked over a wood fire, it's often paired with pulenta, another winter dish made with chestnut flour.

Corsican cheese, whether ewe's or goat's milk, including its famous brocciu, is used in recipes such as migliaccioli (cheese fritters) or fiadone, a typical island dessert made with brocciu, as well as chestnut desserts.