Special Feature - 7 Days in Puglia

Thursday, April 27, 2023

7 Days
in Puglia

Special Introduction to Vincenzo's customer.

Let us begin with an introduction to my company called GUSTOLOGIA which literally means THE STUDY OF TASTE. It is a mouthful to pronounce, but we always say we want it that way, with the tongue planted firmly in the cheek! I like to describe gustologia as an enthusiasm and a curiosity to search out the best tastes for maximum enjoyment. We also strive to understand why we experience what we do during the act of eating and drinking. And by offering delicious items on our gustologia website as well as tailor made gifts and events, we strive to offer a unique experience to our customer. As well, small group travel such as our trip to Puglia assist in creating gustologists worldwide!

Everything about Puglia is connected to the sea and to the sun, and it is predominantly agricultural with a mineral rich soil. There are many types of grains, fruits, olives, and almonds grown here. Puglia produces an astounding amount of Europe’s pasta, and more olive oil than all of Italy’s regions combined.

Vincenzos Storefront with logo

On May 5th for this special event, I will be stationed at Vincenzo’s to also showcase Masserie di Sant’Eramo, which is one of the beautiful spots we will visit in Puglia. Their estate is in the middle of the province in a hilly and arid zone. These exquisite Extra Virgin Olive Oils and pasta are award winning, but also authentic products from Puglia. “The Art of Healthy Living” is their philosophy, and central to their dedication to the Mediterranean diet. Masserie di Sant’Eramo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the prime pure ‘juice’ that is extracted from the olives, without undergoing any chemical treatment whatsoever. The olives are pressed only once, within hours of being picked with Cold Extraction. This means that the producer does not resort to heat to increase yields. Only this process ensures a naturally low acidity level (less than 0.5%, and never chemically altered), a high nutritional content and the flavour of these premium olives which is kept intact, resulting in an oil of wonderful fullness.

Orecchiette pasta

Orecchiette are very much a gastronomic symbol of Puglia. They require only three ingredients: Italian hard wheat flour, water and salt. Gustologists understand why it’s important to buy pasta made of various types of wheat cultivated in Italy – we discuss these topics frequently!

Translated as “little ears” in English, this pasta shape has become more and more popular as more is written and known about the region of Puglia. Orecchiette date back to between the 12th and 13th centuries, when they appeared in Bari, where they remain one of the city’s classic dishes. Some say they were inspired by the conical Trulli homes of Puglia. And today they are still made by hand in the streets of Bari where they are sold by weight. We will visit these markets in Bari where we can see, taste and purchase this wonderful pasta.

The classic way to eat this dish is with Rapini (cime di rapa) or turnip greens or sometimes broccoli, with a good amount of garlic. Orecchiette can also be dressed with a simple tomato sauce, and a grating of local ricotta made of sheep’s milk. And of course, a delicious Pugliese EVOO like Masserie di Sant’Eramo is a must to drizzle on top, or cook alongside the chef’s chosen vegetables.

Here is an authentic Pugliese recipe given to us from Masserie di Sant’Eramo:

Ingredients (4 servings)

500g Orecchiette Pasta “Masserie di Sant’Eramo”

“Masserie di Sant’Eramo” Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 -2 bunches of Rapini (turnip tops)

3 garlic cloves, whole

8 anchovy fillets

1 to 2 dried or fresh hot peppers, broken up or chopped (this ingredient can be omitted for no spiciness, or heat)

Black pepper to taste

Sea salt to taste

Instructions:

Wash and cut rapini in small pieces of about an inch, discarding the hollow end of the stem and the bigger, thicker leafs. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Add the Orecchiette and cook until al dente.

Use this time to heat the extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan.

Sauté the garlic clove in extra virgin olive oil, along with the anchovy fillets and the hot red peppers.

Two to three minutes before the Orecchiette are ready, add rapini to water stirring often. Once cooked, drain the orecchiette and turnip tops and add them to the sauté and mix over a high heat for few minutes.

Toss to combine everything. Add pepper to taste.

Serve immediately, sprinkle over a tablespoon of grated and grilled bread, if desired.

Tips:

Make sure you cook the garlic at low heat to avoid burning it.
Drain heavily, as water left in the pasta might dilute the taste of the dish.
You can blend part of the cooked rapini together with a bit of cooking water to get a creamier texture.
You can drizzle a little high-quality olive oil over the dish right when you serve, too.
You can replace Rapini with Broccoli.