The cuisine of the island is to be considered poor also in more elaborate dishes. All this means that the notions of culinary Elba are the result of a seamless migration theory, occupations by different peoples, united by poverty, the fate of hard work (in mine, the sea, the vineyards). But even a poor history lived in the kitchen can give amazing results for purity and goodness. Analyzing the emergency food of the different villages on the island it's to note that the provision provides the greater originality of the mining side.

Then (XVII century) other poor dishes like the sburrita (cod stock), the gurguglione (vegetable stew) and the stoccafisso (stockfish), became part of the cuisine of the island directly imported by the Spanish or through the Neapolitan troops that made up the garrison to garrison the south-east of the island, which was submitted to the government in Spain.

Most ancient is the way of preparing the "imbollite" sort of flat bread made with figs that abound in these places.
The sportella instead is a kind of bread with aniseed, now more refined than before, when all the ceremonies were being traded, between engaged people in during the Easter festivities. The form that invokes the symbol of both sexes want to be hope for a future breeding season.
The caccilebbora, this anisate bread with an egg in half, with ancient origins recalls the hope of fertility.
The large quantity and good quality of the fish helps the preparation of dishes such as boiled octopus "polpo lesso", that on the island was eating "from the fork", the fried fish "zerri fritti", or marinated the favolli soup (fish soup),the squid and the cuttlefish cooked in various ways, the soups rock fish and beets, the spaghetti with the margherita crab and many others.
The cacciucco fish soup, as it stands today, the chronicles are telling, was prepared even when Napoleon was the most illustrious guest of Elba Island.

At Rio Marina you immediately notice the strong Eastern influence. From the thirteenth to sixteenth century to the construction of Cosmopolis (Portoferraio) the Saracen invasions often follow each other and Barbary pirates leave behind more than the bitter memories of looting and destruction, even something sweet. It 's the case of schiaccia briaca (teetotal originally saw the Qur'an) which contains the typical ingredients of Middle Eastern cuisine (pine nuts, raisins from Smyrna, nuts). The Aleatico wine, essential component in the current version is an add-nineteenth century, as well as nuts, not produced the island and therefore very expensive. The nineteenth-century version involves the use of honey in place of the island's rare and expensive sugar. The crush that resulted, without yeast or eggs, was at very long conservation and therefore perfectly suited to be part of the provisions of nomads and sailors.

Marciana and Poggiois famous for its sweet cakes as corollo and schiacciunta, made with pork lard, that find their "death" drowning in a glass of muscat wine, of aleatico wine or ansonica passita wine.

Much sought after by gourmets are lobsters and margherita crabs or granzeole crabs that the fishermen of Marina di Campo fishing at certain times of the year.

In conclusion it is clear how the difference in displacement of population characterizes the Elbanian cuisine. The countries in the hills and mountains have a tradition based on breads and pastries of various shapes and packaging, while "marine" offer mainly seafood dishes. We see, as in the past there was a culinary distinction between the mountains and the sea; nowadays there is a tendency to homogeneity, even in the variety. In fact, in the culinary tradition of Elba Island are dishes that originated in Tuscany, Liguria, Provence, and also derived from the pirates.

Alvaro Claudi (gastronome)
Free translation by AriK