Sburrita elbana

Sburrita or sburita is a typical Riese dish and, if done well, is really tasty. Sburrita or sburita refers to a fish soup flavored with herbs or vegetables. It is also known as "Buridda" in Liguria and Sardinia. While in Provence it takes on the name "Bouridde." Some recipes use cuttlefish or white meatballs with the addition of peas or artichokes, others with hake, garfish or monkfish tails. However, since it is a soup it will always have to be accompanied with croutons of toasted and possibly garlicky bread. The riese version is the best known in Elba and beyond. It has as its main component salt cod, an imported salted codfish available all year round. Cod sburrita was part of the convìo that miners brought to the workplace for their lunch break and heated on a stove provided by the mine administration or between two stones where a small hearth was set up.