Fish has always been the centrepiece of the local cuisine of Lecco and you can enjoy its unique flavours in the many restaurants around the city. Three of Lake Como’s most famous delicacies are fish dishes displaying the local culinary tradition at its best: rice ”in cagnone” with perch fillets, polenta with “missoltini”, and fish “in carpione” or vinegar marinade. In summer, these delicious dishes can often be found on the menus of local restaurants.
Rice “in cagnone” with perch fillets
This dish embodies the authenticity of the local culinary tradition. The creaminess of rice, boiled and then mixed with butter, sage, and Parmesan cheese, goes perfectly with breaded and fried perch fillets. These days, some local restaurants offer a more modern and less simple version, in which the perch is served with “risotto” instead of rice “in cagnone”. It is a regional dish but is particularly famous around Lake Como, where perch is caught.
Fish “in Carpione”
Fish “in carpione” with butter and cheese is a flavoursome dish, a veritable explosion of taste. In the days when refrigerators didn’t exist, this preparation method was used to preserve fish in vinegar for several days. The “carpione” gives the dish freshness and a touch of acidity. This recipe can be prepared with other lake fish, such as bleak or whitefish.
“Polenta” with “missoltini”
Missoltini are made by salting and drying “agoni”, small fish typical of Lake Como. Misultìn, as they are called in the local dialect, are crunchy and have a savoury, intense flavour that goes perfectly with the softness of polenta: a traditional and delicious dish.
Enjoy an authentic culinary experience with typical dishes that tell the history of our territory on a unique gastronomic journey through flavours and traditions.
