Il Corno in the Covered Market: launch night

It was an absolute treat to be invited to the opening of Il Corno in the Covered Market!

The business is named after a traditional Neapolitan amulet that is said to bring good luck, and the shop has been painted to match the corno’s vibrant red colour. With striking black décor and gleaming new ovens, this is definitely a very chic addition to our favourite mini-plaza in the Covered Market (check out Il Corno’s Instagram page for some behind-the-scenes footage of how it all came together).

Il Corno is run by Fanny and her family, who gave us an incredibly warm welcome.

The atmosphere was joyous – helped by the free-flowing white wine – especially when a cake was brought out, bearing the motto ‘where good food meets good luck.’

We sampled some taralli, a ring-shaped snack made of flour, lard and almonds that crumbled in the mouth. But the star of the show – and Il Corno’s main menu item – was the panuozzi. This popular Neapolitan snack is essentially a sandwich made with pizza dough, served fresh and warm from the oven.

There are four savoury options on offer. We sampled the ‘Panuozzo Bella ‘Mbriana’, filled with Fior d’Agerola cheese, grilled peppers and friarelli – a leafy green vegetable largely grown in Italy. The cheese was meltingly delicious, while the sweetness of the peppers combined well with the slight bitterness of the friarelli.

My next choice would surely be the ‘Panuozzo San Gennaro’, with Fior d’Agerola, pancetta and olive oil.

Prices range from £5 for a half sandwich to £11.50 for a whole (excluding the undeniably tempting Nutella option, which runs slightly cheaper). Vegan cheeses are available at no extra cost.

It might be slightly pricier than other lunchtime options, but you can definitely tell that Il Corno is a passion project from a family who are proud of their regional cuisine.