Capponadda and Cundigiun

Capponadda and Cundigiun are not the same, but they share very similar ingredients and history. These two splendid recipes have nourished seamen and fishermen throughout Liguria for centuries, combining the products of the land with those of the sea, particularly anchovies, which in Genoa and the coastal areas are aptly referred to as “o pan do ma,” meaning “the bread of the sea.” While their use as long-lasting provisions for navigation is now outdated, the deliciousness of these two Ligurian salads remains intact and very much in vogue.

There is no unique or standardised recipe for these dishes, as they are typical of home cooking and thus subject to variations based on personal taste. The origin of Capponadda, often referred to as “capun de galera” (in reference to a type of ship), is undoubtedly maritime, although land products are combined with those from the sea. Likely originating from the area around Camogli, Capponadda is particularly popular in Genoa and the Levante region of Liguria. Every July, during the second weekend, a famous festival dedicated to Capponadda takes place in San Rocco di Camogli, home to the Maccarini bakery, which produces the essential ingredient: galletta del marinaio, a dry, rather hard, and very thin bread that kept well during the long journeys of sailing vessels.

While Capponadda is especially characteristic of Genoa and its province, Cundigiun is more commonly found in the western part of the region, from Savona to Ventimiglia. Cundigiun is very similar to salade niçoise. It is a popular recipe, and thus there is no official version, but rather thousands of family and homemade interpretations. The list of ingredients varies based on seasonality and location, typically including: onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, anchovies, basil, olives, hard-boiled eggs, and tuna.

Recipe for Capponadda (Serves 4)
Ingredients:
4 gallette del marinaio (or slices of stale bread as an alternative)
2 beefsteak tomatoes
300 grams of green beans
2 boiled potatoes
350 grams of tuna fillets in extra virgin olive oil
Taggiasca olives
2 hard-boiled eggs
10 salted anchovies from the Ligurian Sea
Vinegar
A few basil leaves
Extra virgin olive oil from the Riviera Ligure

Preparation:
Wash the vegetables and steam the green beans. Soak the gallette del marinaio (or stale bread) in water and vinegar. Once softened, gently squeeze the gallette and place them at the bottom of a serving bowl. Cut the boiled potatoes into cubes. Slice the tomatoes and cut the hard-boiled eggs into wedges, then add them to the gallette along with the green beans. Transfer everything to a salad bowl, adding the Taggiasca olives, well-drained tuna fillets, desalted and filleted anchovies, and fresh basil or oregano. Dress generously with extra virgin olive oil from the Riviera Ligure and season with salt to taste.