The sperlunga is the serving dish no Calabrian kitchen has ever been without. Long and shallow, with sides that hold in the sauce and dressing so nothing escapes. It's the one that goes in the middle of the table and gathers everything.
 
The name comes from Greek: it's an ancient piece, one of those that existed before design did. The shape has stayed the same because it works, and things that work don't get changed.
 
This one is handmade by Maurizio in Altomonte. Every sperlunga has its own variations: the rim is never perfectly straight, the glaze has its own nuances. That's what makes it different from any industrial product.
 
Use it for serving meat, fish or bread. For putting what there is in the middle of the table, without transferring, without looking for the right dish.
 
A Calabrian serving piece. The kind you never throw away.