Few places in Italy embody contradiction quite like Naples. It is chaotic yet beautiful, gritty yet welcoming. Those contrasts define the opening episode of Tucci in Italy Season 2, as Stanley Tucci explores the Campania region through its history and recipes.
The journey begins beneath the city's streets inside the ancient Catacombs of Naples, where thousands of skeletal remains serve as a reminder that life and death have long existed side by side here. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe famously declared in the 1700s, "See Naples and die," capturing the city's enduring reputation for beauty and intensity.
Emerging into the bustling streets above, Tucci calls Naples "the loudest city in the world." Home to more than six million people across the Campania region, roughly half of whom live a little too close to Mount Vesuvius, Naples has survived more than 3,000 years of invasions, volcanic eruptions, poverty and organized crime. Yet those hardships have also influenced one of Italy's most distinctive food cultures.
A Neighborhood Rewriting its Story
One of Tucci's first stops is the Rione Sanità neighborhood, once considered one of Naples' most dangerous districts. It is now undergoing a remarkable transformation.
There he meets Chef Ciro Oliva, whose family pizzeria has become part of the neighborhood's revival. Oliva recalls growing up when violence was commonplace and outsiders rarely ventured into Sanità. Even during those difficult years, however, great food was always a part of the city's allure.
They visited the historic Ristorante Mimì alla Ferrovia, a Neapolitan institution that has remained in the same family for more than 80 years. Executive chef Salvatore Giugliano prepares eggplant Parmigiana, a dish whose origins are still debated. While often associated with Naples, its exact birthplace isn’t quite clear.
As Tucci explains, "French influences can be felt all through Neapolitan cuisine. Even the ragù gets its name from the French word for stew."
Served simply with fresh bread, the eggplant Parmigiana is nostalgic for them all. Tucci reminisces about taking it to school and eating it on bread for lunch. Giugliano describes Naples as a city that has always been influenced by outside cultures, describing centuries of Spanish, French, and other cultures that transformed into something uniquely their own.
Make it at home - Appetito's favorite parmigiana recipes:
Grilled Portobello Mushroom Parmigiana
Want a preview before diving into Sicily? Watch the official trailer for Tucci in Italy season two to get a taste of Stanley Tucci's latest culinary adventure across Italy.
Gragnano's Legendary Pasta
The episode then heads south to Gragnano, a town synonymous with dried pasta.
For centuries, Gragnano's unique combination of mountain breezes and volcanic stone streets created ideal conditions for naturally drying pasta. In the 1800s, legend says the Bourbon king even widened the streets so more pasta could dry outdoors. Although industrialization brought difficult economic times, a handful of experts still produce their pasta with the town's traditional methods.
At Pastificio dei Campi, Tucci watches small batches of pasta made using bronze dies and slow drying techniques similar to the conditions once found on Gragnano's streets. Instead of using heat, the pasta rests for roughly 36 hours in carefully controlled drying chambers.
"Just like 500 years ago, there are no shortcuts when it comes to making the best pasta in the world," Tucci says.
He later visits Chef Peppe Guida at his restaurant Antica Osteria, where Guida and his mother, Nonna Rosa, prepare one of Campania's most poetic dishes: Spaghettino alle Vongole Fuggite, or "spaghetti with runaway clams." Garlic, parsley, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, chili pepper, and smooth sea stones give the pasta a scent of the sea, recreating the flavor of clams that many families could not afford.
"It's like your mouth is going for a swim," Tucci says after tasting the finished dish.
Make it at home - Appetito's favorite seafood recipes:
Squid Ink Linguine with Clams Recipe
The Sweet Side of Procida
From the mainland, Tucci travels to Procida, the smallest of Campania's three islands. Known for its pastel-colored waterfront, Procida is also home to one of Italy's most unusual citrus fruits: the limone di Procida, often called the "bread lemon" because of its thick, sweet white pith.
Chef Bruno Guarracino explains that the lemon was once difficult to market because of its rough appearance, despite its exceptional flavor.
At Ristorante Da Girone, chef Francesco Scotto showcases the fruit in both dessert and savory dishes, including a vibrant lemon pesto made with local garlic, pine nuts, and cheeses produced on the island.
Make it at home - Appetito's favorite lemon recipes:
Spring Tortellini in a Light Lemon Shallot Dressing
Volcanic Soil and Buffalo Mozzarella
Returning to the mainland, Tucci visits Ercolano, near Pompeii, where prized tomatoes grow in the volcanic soil.
At La Fiammante, tomato producer Francesco Franzese works with farmer Salvatore Acampora, who cultivates heirloom varieties in the mineral-rich earth surrounding Mount Vesuvius. The volcanic landscape produces tomatoes with remarkable sweetness and concentration.
The journey continues south into Paestum, where roughly 95 percent of Italy's Mediterranean water buffalo are raised.
At Vannulo Caseificio, buffalo expert Vincenzo Palmieri explains why buffalo milk, containing more than twice the fat of cow's milk, produces the rich texture that defines mozzarella di bufala. Once considered food for poorer communities living in the marshlands of Cilento, buffalo mozzarella gained wider recognition during the second half of the twentieth century and has since become one of Campania's most celebrated products.
Nearby, Michelin-starred chef Mario Rispoli of Le Trabe demonstrates its versatility with his signature dish, Bufala, Bufala, Bufala, combining buffalo ricotta, smoked ricotta, buffalo milk, and pasta into an exceptionally creamy sauce.
Tucci's verdict: Molto interessante.
Make it at home - Appetito's favorite buffalo recipes:
Buffalo Mozzarella with Honey Bomb Tomato Confit & Basil Oil
Eggplant Stack with Mozzarella di Bufala
Campania's Remarkable Wines
The final stop takes viewers to Sant'Agata de' Goti, one of Campania's most important wine regions. Sisters Paola and Annachiara Mustilli continue their family's pioneering work at Cantina Mustilli, the first winery to bottle Falanghina as a varietal wine.
Falanghina is now celebrated as one of southern Italy's great white wines. Tucci tastes both a recent vintage and one more than two decades old, demonstrating the grape's surprising ability to age gracefully - something few white wines achieve.
Their work has helped bring international recognition to an area that wasn’t always known for these types of wines.
The Flavor of a Region
Throughout the episode, Tucci shows that Campania's greatest culinary traditions emerged through adaptation, necessity, and generations of people making the most of what they had.
As the episode ends, Tucci reflects on a region whose food has become beloved around the globe despite centuries of adversity. From humble pasta dishes to volcanic tomatoes, lemons, and speciality wines, the opening episode reminds viewers that Campania's cuisine tells the story of a people who have continually transformed hardship into extraordinary flavor.
