Monegasque Recipes
4 recipesMonaco's cooking belongs to the Riviera, shaped by Ligurian, Provençal and Niçoise traditions and by the small fishing and farming community that once lived on this rocky coast. Olive oil, tomatoes, Swiss chard, garlic, anchovies, olives, chickpeas and herbs are the base of the table, and dried cod, known as stockfish, has long been the traditional Friday meal. The national dish is barbagiuan, a crisp fried pastry filled with chard and ricotta, once made for Lent and now eaten all year as an appetizer. Savory pies, socca and pissaladière are shared with neighboring Nice. At Christmas the table has fugassa, a sweet orange blossom bread, and the round loaf called pan de Natale. Monaco is better known for fine dining and luxury, but families still cook these local dishes, and many are written on menus in their Monégasque names.
Staple ingredients
- olive oil
- Swiss chard
- tomatoes
- stockfish and salt cod
- ricotta (brousse) and Parmesan
- black olives
- anchovies
- almonds and orange blossom water
Appetizers
Main Dishes
Breads
Desserts
Common questions
What is Monégasque food known for?
Barbagiuan fried pastries, stocafi stockfish stew, fugassa orange blossom bread and Swiss chard pies. The cooking is Riviera style, close to Nice and Liguria, built on olive oil, tomatoes, chard, fish and cheese.
What is the national dish of Monaco?
Barbagiuan, a small fried pastry usually filled with Swiss chard, ricotta and Parmesan. It is eaten as an appetizer and was traditionally made during Lent.
Is Monégasque food the same as French food?
It is closely related but not identical. Monaco shares the Provençal and Niçoise pantry with the French Riviera and has a strong Ligurian influence, plus its own dishes and Monégasque names for them.
Is Monégasque food spicy?
No. Flavor comes from olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, anchovies, olives and herbs such as basil, rosemary and savory rather than from chili.