The sperlunga (a long terracotta serving dish) has never been missing from Calabrian kitchens. Long and low, with edges that hold in the sauce and dressing so nothing escapes. It's the one that goes in the middle of the table, the one that 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 shades. That's what makes it different from any industrial product.
 
 
 
Use it to serve meat, fish or bread. To put whatever there is in the middle of the table, without transferring it or looking for the right dish.
 
 
 
A Calabrian serving piece – the kind nobody throws away.