travel
very popular in the Cisternino area of the
including ravioli with a variety of fillings
menus, is sporcamuss (dirty face). This is a
Itrian Valley, where you pick out your own
and sauces. You will also see typical dishes
creamy, custard-filled millefoglie. I imagine
meat and have it cooked and served at
such as fave e cicorie (broad bean purée
it’s nicknamed sporcamuss because it’s
your table or prepared to take away.
with chicory; see recipe on the next page).
difficult to eat it without covering your
Secondo will comprise meat and/or fish
face in powdered sugar!
The menu
dishes. Keep an eye out for Tiella Barese.
Beginning with the antipasti (appetis-
This delicious dish of potatoes, mussels
ers) on every menu, the variety is often
and rice is usually cooked in a terracotta
mind-boggling. In many of the local restau-
pot under the hot ashes of a wood fire
Salice Salentino and Primitivo. Both very
rants, the ‘house’ antipasti is so extensive
(see recipe on the next page). Another
popular reds, they are by no means the
and multi-layered that it’s sometimes
popular dish is braciola. This comprises
only wines to enjoy.
difficult to find room for a primi and a sec-
small pieces of beef, rolled and cooked in
ondo (starter and main course), let alone a
a sauce, usually tomato. Grigliata di Pesce
much stronger and more full-bodied than
delicious dolce (dessert).
Spada (grilled swordfish) is delicious.
the rosé from further north. Look out for
Antipasti such as crispy polpette, capo-
Order contorni (side dishes) to go with
Wines
On every wine list in Puglia you will see
Rosato is very popular in Puglia, and is
rosato made from Bombino nero, Malvasia
collo, grilled vegetables, deep fried zucchi-
the second course. You will find patate
or Negroamaro grapes. These rosato wines
ni flowers, mussels, and calamari, to name
fritte (chips), verdure grigliate (grilled veg-
are perfect paired with the local foods.
but a few, are available on most menus.
etables) and much more on the menu.
Primi usually consists of a variety of
Dolce brings out the creative side of
soups, pasta and rice dishes. The pasta
most Pugliese chefs and there are far too
you see on every menu will be either
many to discuss here. The most popular
orecchiette or cavatelli, plus many others,
dessert, and the one you will see on many
Tomato, mozzarella and basil bruschette
Dolce: Chocolate fondant and orange ice-cream
If you are looking for white wine, try some Fiano, Moscato Secco, Verdeca or Chardonnay. All are excellent. For a true Mediterranean diet and culinary holiday, look no further than Puglia.
Primi: green pasta
Antipasti: Deep-fried zucchini flowers
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