Focaccia from Bari: the original recipe

Focaccia from Bari is a true symbol of Puglia, its softness and unmistakable taste make it one of the foods to eat while walking around the city, for an aperitif or for a tasty snack. In addition to being able to find it in various fillings or doughs in the bakeries of Bari and the province, it is also possible to make it at home by kneading by hand or using food processors (such as the Bimby). The result is a soft and fragrant focaccia from Bari just like the one you bought, with the satisfaction of having prepared it yourself with just a few simple ingredients.

Recipe of Focaccia from Bari

The Bari focaccia recipe is typically made with potatoes which make the dough softer and give it its typical flavour.

Ingredients for the focaccia:

• 250 g of re-milled durum wheat semolina
• 170 ml of water at room temperature
• 70 g of boiled potatoes
• 7 g of salt
• 5g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

Seasoning ingredients:

• 100 g of cherry tomatoes
• 15 black olives
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste.
• oregano to taste

Method:

1. Boil the potatoes and mash them well; leave them aside to cool down so you can use them later.
2. Dissolve the yeast in warm water, add the re-milled semolina, mashed potatoes and salt.
3. Work the dough by hand or with the help of a food processor.
4. Once ready, leave it in a bowl and cover it so that it doubles in volume (it will take about 2 hours).
5. Once the leavening time has passed, grease a baking tray (preferably aluminum) with oil and roll out the dough, stretching it from the sides.
6. Add the cherry tomatoes cut in half, the oil, salt and oregano.
7. Before baking, the focaccia from Bari must rise for another two hours seasoned in this way.
8. After this time, it will be ready to be baked at 220° for about 20-30 minutes.

Variant without potatoes

It is possible to prepare focaccia from Bari even without potatoes: the result will be an equally soft dough and a slightly quicker preparation, precisely because the tubers will not have to be boiled.

Ingredients for focaccia without potatoes:

• 300 g of flour
• 300 g of re-milled semolina
• 360 ml of warm water
• 8 g of fresh brewer’s yeast
• 2 teaspoons of sugar

The procedure will be the same.

A legend states that the “friselle” were brought by Aeneas when he landed in Porto Badisco, near Otranto. The frisedda, fresedda, frisella in the various Apulian dialects or frisa pugliese in Italian, looks like a biscuit donut from an aesthetic point of view, produced with durum wheat but also barley or combined with each other, it is obtained thanks to a double cooking carried out in the oven (biscuit).

After the first cooking, the frisella shape is cut in half, transversally, with the help of a thread (strozzo method), and subsequently the two bottoms of the shape are cooked again in the oven, to completely eliminate the residual humidity of the pasta and then be able to taste it.

Subsequently, the frisella was transformed into a traditional peasant meal, which was seasoned with fresh tomatoes, rocket salad and extra virgin olive oil. Once upon a time, in Puglia, it was customary to bathe the latter directly in sea water, so as to enjoy all the flavors of this region. Fishermen of the past used friselle as bread to take with them to work and wet with salt water, then using it as a base for fish soups.

Nowadays, frisella has become a delicious meal in all respects, perfect to be enjoyed during the summer with the native products of Puglia, during a lunch or directly on the beach during the hottest days.

Let’s not forget, however, that frisella fully occupies a place in the Mediterranean diet and, furthermore, it is healthy and nutritious!

Original recipe for Apulian Frisa

Ingredients

• frize of durum wheat or barley
• tomatoes
• Apulian oil
• salt
• waterfall
• additional ingredients: tuna, oregano and various seasonings

Method

1. To start the preparation, the frisa needs to be soaked in water: everything depends on this. Depending on how you want it to taste better, crunchier or softer, you should leave it in water for about 30 seconds or 1 minute.
2. You can add garlic first, but we prefer it without, especially if it’s your first time.
3. Spread oil, salt, chopped and/or spread cherry tomatoes on top so that the seeds come out and lastly the oregano.
4. Accompany them with olives and a few pieces of fresh cacioricotta or dried tomatoes.

In two minutes you will get a simple but exceptional dish.

Being a typically summer dish, I recommend a good white wine, served chilled, such as Locorotondo D.O.C.

For several years now, there has been a widespread tendency to consume, as an alternative to cow’s milk, almond milk, a drink made from these fruits which can be drunk cold (especially in summer), hot or used to prepare cappuccinos, drinks , granitas or fruit smoothies.

Homemade almond milk is very simple to prepare both with and without equipment (such as the Thermomix), and the variations can be with or without sugar depending on taste.

Sugar-free almond milk: the recipe

Ingredients

• 250 g of already peeled almonds
• 1 liter of water

Method

1. Soak the almonds for at least 12 hours.
2. Blend the fruits in a blender together with the water for 5 minutes (stopping every now and then, if necessary) until a smooth mixture is obtained.
3. Filter the mixture obtained using gauze or even an old pair of tights, occasionally crushing all the almond residues with a spoon (these can be used to prepare desserts or biscuits or even eaten as they are because they contain many nutrients).
4. The remaining part without residues is the actual almond milk.

The milk obtained can be stored in the fridge for about a week.

Almond milk with sugar: the recipe

Ingredients

• 250 g of already peeled almonds
• 1 liter of water
• sweetener of your choice to taste

You can add stevia, honey or even dates or dried figs to the almonds before blending them.

The process is the same used to obtain sugar-free almond milk.

The recipe with the Thermomix

Method

1. Add the almonds (and sugar if desired) to the bowl and blend for 30 seconds at speed 8; then, set the resulting mixture aside.
2. Add the water to the jug and bring to the boil at a temperature of 100° and speed 1 for 7 minutes.
3. Add the blended almonds to the water and set speed 6 for 15 seconds.

The benefits of almond milk

Consuming vegetable milk is not only the trend of the moment but is also good for you: there are numerous benefits of almond milk given that it is rich in Vitamin E. This makes it a natural antioxidant useful for combating the onset of cancer and aging.

It is also rich in Vitamin A and D, proteins, Omega 6 and minerals such as calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium.

Since it is rich in fibre, it guarantees good intestinal health and its regular functioning. Furthermore, it helps control cholesterol levels.

Last but not least, it has a low calorie content, especially if it is sugar-free, and therefore is ideal for all those who want to lose weight.

Almonds are one of the most used ingredients to prepare delicious desserts. Even in the Apulian culinary tradition, they lend themselves to numerous preparations such as the delicious “mandorle atterrate” (almonds). Apulian landed almonds are a truly special end to a meal, a typical Christmas dessert, easy to prepare even at home, perhaps having fun getting help from your children.

The traditional recipe

Ingredients:

• 500 g of whole shelled almonds
• 500 g of chocolate (dark, milk or white)

Method:

1. Toast the almonds in a baking pan at 200°, being careful not to burn them to prevent their flavor from becoming bitter.
2. While the almonds are cooling, you can melt the chocolate in a bain-marie, stirring occasionally without adding water.
3. Then add the almonds, mixing with a spoon so that they are completely covered in chocolate and a homogeneous mixture is formed.
4. Using a spoon, create small piles of almonds with the chocolate and place them on a baking tray covered with baking paper.
5. At this point it will be sufficient to wait about 3 hours so that the chocolate solidifies well.
6. The landed almonds will detach perfectly from the baking paper and will be ready to be brought to the table.

They can be kept for several days in the fridge in a closed container (you will need to take them out a few minutes before consuming them) but, being very tasty, they will certainly be snapped up.

Since the preparation is very quick, the advice is to prepare them in the three chocolate variations so as to amaze your guests and satisfy all their tastes.

Variation of landed almonds

Apart from the famous version with chocolate, ground almonds can also be prepared with just sugar and therefore be “caramelized”.

Ingredients:

• 500 g of whole shelled almonds
• 350 g of granulated sugar
• 20 ml of water
• a few drops of lemon

Method:

1. In a pan placed on the stove over low heat, add the sugar, water and lemon.
2. Melt the sugar by stirring continuously with a wooden spoon until it starts to string.
3. Add the almonds, continuing to stir with the wooden spoon so that they mix well with the sugar.
4. Place the almonds on a work surface (traditionally “land”) and open them one by one.
5. Let cool and enjoy.

The Salento countryside abounds in many natural products that can be found in the wild, asparagus, various types of herbs including chicory, fennel, beard, many types of mushrooms and one of the delicacies of traditional Salento cuisine, the Municeddhe.

These are the snails that abound in the countryside and are generally collected in the summer season after the rains, from July to September, when the snail has built a kind of white cap around the opening, which in dialect is called “panna” (cream).

The singular name given to the snails derives from their color, which recalls the color of the habit of the Franciscan friars.

It was once available in almost all markets and fruit and vegetable shops although it seems that in recent times its presence has decreased, and this is due to two factors: the first concerns the fact that fewer and fewer people venture into in the countryside to collect them, the second reason is due to the increasingly widespread plowing of the fields carried out with mechanical means, which in some cases compromises their habitat and therefore their survival.

They are tasty prepared in different ways, roasted, boiled or cooked in sauce, accompanied with durum wheat bread. In Salento they have always been eaten in quantity, in Cannole, a municipality in the Otranto hinterland, a summer festival is dedicated to them which over four days brings together crowds of people who handle toothpicks in front of pots and embers which churn out thousands and thousands of municeddhe from serve and eat during performances of Salento popular music.

The recipe for Salento Municeddhe:

Ingredients for 4 or 6 people:

• 1 kg of monicedde mussels
• an onion
• a glass of rosé wine
• 3 bay leaves
• pepper as needed.
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste.

Preparation

Preparation time: an hour and a half.

1. Wash the snails repeatedly, remove the so-called cream (i.e. the foam that protects the shell mentioned above), rinse them again.
2. In a pan, place half a glass of oil, the sliced onion and the bay leaves. When the onion is bruised, pour in the mussels, salt them, flavor them with freshly ground black pepper and when the liquid from the mussels has evaporated, add the rosé wine.
3. Dry over high heat and serve.

The symbol of Puglia in Italy and around the world are the Salento Orecchiette, a fresh pasta format, which is prepared by hand, with a round and concave shape. Orecchiette have a wrinkled surface, a thick edge and a thinner interior. This consistency makes them perfect for seasoning in various ways: usually with turnip greens, but they can also be enjoyed with a ragù or as you prefer. The ingredients to prepare them are very few and for this reason making them at home is very easy, especially if you acquire the right manual skills which, as they are prepared, will come naturally.

How to prepare Salento orecchiette:

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 500 g of re-milled durum wheat semolina
• 200 g of water at room temperature
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Pour the re-milled durum wheat flour onto a pastry board, then make a well and add a pinch of salt.
2. In the center of the flour fountain, gradually pour in the room temperature water, then incorporate the flour little by little until it absorbs all the water.
3. Work the dough for about 10 minutes with your hands until you obtain a homogeneous and elastic dough which you can give a round shape to.
4. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rest at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
5. After the dough has rested, with the help of a pastry cutter, cut it into strips about a centimeter thick.
6. Cut the dough strips into pieces of about one centimeter.

At this point, the time has come to make the orecchiette: you will need a smooth-bladed knife and the advice is to initially give the piece of dough a round shape. With the knife, press on the ball starting from the upper edge, dragging the blade towards you, until the ball becomes concave. Then turn the small ear on itself to give it the typical shape we all know it with. Once prepared, these orecchiette can be dried covered with a dry cloth. In this way, they can be stored for about a month. As for cooking, being a fresh pasta, it will take 5 minutes in boiling salted water.

Curiosities about Orecchiette

Orecchiette are typical throughout Puglia but have a different name in each place where they are prepared: there are “chianchiarelle“, the smaller ones; the “orecchie del prete” (priest’s ears), the larger ones or even the “strascinati” (the dragged ones). Numerous festivals are also dedicated to Orecchiette, such as “Orecchiette nelle ‘Nnchiosce” held in Grottaglie, an event in which various chefs prepare dishes featuring Orecchiette to revive local and gastronomic traditions for those who participate.

Orecchiette with turnip greens is one of the symbolic dishes of the Apulian gastronomic tradition, especially in the province of Bari but is prepared throughout the region. It is a first course that has origins in the peasant tradition, simple but really tasty, a must on the menus of many restaurants. In this dish, the delicacy and roughness of fresh pasta marries beautifully with the strong (and sometimes bitter) flavor of turnip greens and anchovies.

The history of orecchiette with turnip greens dates back to the medieval period, between the 12th and 13th centuries, the period of Norman-Swabian domination, in the area of Sannicandro di Bari. Once ready, the pasta was dried so that it could be preserved for periods more or less long, even on ships leaving for long voyages. Considered a dowry, with the inheritance passed from mother to daughter, orecchiette would have spread to the rest of Puglia and Basilicata.

Recipe of orecchiette with turnip greens

Ingredients:

• 500 g of orecchiette
• 1 kg of turnip greens
• 10 anchovy fillets in oil
• 2 cloves of garlic
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• chili pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. First, clean the turnip greens and then place them in a pan of salted water and bring to the boil.
2. Add the orecchiette to the turnip tops to cook them together.
3. Separately, in a pan, fry the garlic and anchovy fillets until they melt.
4. To taste, add chilli and salt.
5. Drain the orecchiette and turnip tops and sauté them in the pan with the anchovies until all the ingredients are mixed.

In combination with this recipe, you can enjoy a full-bodied and soft white wine that tempers the bitterness of the turnip greens.

An example is the equally Apulian Verdeca IGT from Valle d’Itria or the Bianco d’Alessano.

Pallone di Gravina is a semi-hard raw stretched cheese, produced with whole raw bovine milk from farms in the Murgia Alta and Fossa Bradanica basin. It is essentially a caciocavallo without a head and with a rounded shape which is produced from January to March and is excellent after three months of maturation. Its weight ranges from 1 to 10kg.

Originating from the Gravina area, from which it takes its name, it is currently produced in the Gravina in Puglia, Matera and Murgia Alta areas.

Cheese preparation

The milk with which this particular Murgia cheese is prepared comes from Podolica breed cattle. Its history is quite ancient, being already known at the time of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, considered as one of the most popular cheeses in southern Italy.
The production technique of Pallone is similar to that of caciocavallo.

• Liquid calf rennet or lamb or kid paste is added to the milk.
• Once the curd is formed, cut into slices, it is stretched with hot water, then collected and left to stand on the “tompagno”.
• It is in this phase that the cheese is given its characteristic spherical shape.
• The next phase involves salting in brine, after which the balls are left to dry for a couple of weeks and then left to dry in the cellar.

The rind of the ball will be hard, smooth, robust, straw-coloured which tends towards brown or grey-brown in the more mature forms; the paste is stretched, raw, smooth, straw-coloured which tends towards golden with maturation, with possible slight holes.

How to consume Gravina Pallone

It can be consumed fresh after about 3 weeks, but is especially appreciated if aged for at least 3 or 4 months. In this way the maturing will allow it to acquire a pleasant note of spiciness.

Today, Pallone of Gravina is one of the traditional regional products. It is generally eaten in starters or in the middle of a sandwich together with mortadella. Sometimes it can be also melted on some dishes to give them more flavour.

Today this dairy product has also become a Slow Food presidium, to protect its uniqueness and safeguard its quality.

Perhaps the only bakery product to boast the prestigious DOP mark: Altamura bread. Known throughout the world thanks to its fragrance and flavor, this bread has become part of the Apulian cultural and gastronomic heritage.

The origins

A bread created and designed to meet the needs of shepherds and farmers for whom it was an essential and daily food. In fact, they sometimes had to stay away from home for several days in the masserie, typical farms in the countryside around the city. So a large loaf of bread that could be consumed for several days was a precious resource, to say the least.

A centuries-old tradition of which we have traces since the Roman poet Horace, who in his Satires praises the bakeries of the area and advises travelers not to miss the delicious bread.

There are two traditional ones:

• u Scquanét, taller
• a cappidde de prévete (priest’s hat) lower and with less crumb.

The original recipe

This famous bread is made from the semolina of some specific varieties of durum wheat (appulo, arcangelo, duilio, simeto) grown in Altamura and in some neighboring municipalities (Gravina di Puglia, Poggiorsini), in the territory now delimited by the regulations of the protection consortium.

From the Middle Ages until today little has changed: the recipe is still the same, simple, as it was centuries ago (durum wheat semolina, water, fine salt and mother yeast), the ovens are still the traditional stone ones, the taste is still exceptional.

The rules for obtaining the Pane di Altamura DOP denomination

Unlike the Middle Ages, however, now the protection consortium has established strict rules for production and precise characteristics that a true Pane di Altamura DOP must respect:

• a weight of no less than 0.5 kg,
• a crust with a minimum thickness of 3mm
• humidity not exceeding 33%
• the dough must be made with sourdough which is obtained with a minimum of three renewals
• Furthermore, 20kg of natural yeast, 2kg of sea salt, 60lt of water (temperature of 18°) are expected for every quintal of re-milled durum wheat semolina.

The kneading lasts 20 minutes and is carried out with a mixer with diving arms. The leavening is expected to take place under a cotton cloth and must last at least 90 minutes before proceeding to a second resting phase. This second phase begins with weighing and continues with shaping which is carried out manually. After a subsequent phase of another 30 minutes of rest, we move on to reshaping and a third rest phase followed by further manual shaping and another 15 minutes of rest.

At that point all that remains is to inform the mixture but before that, it is turned upside down and, with a light pressure of the hand, it is accompanied into the oven previously brought to a temperature of 250°. After an initial cooking period of 15 minutes in the open oven, it is closed. We wait another 45 minutes.

Are you planning your next holidays in Salento? Here are the 10 things to do during your stay in this peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean.

It’s difficult not to fall in love with Salento. It is capable of fascinating you even before visiting it and there are many places crowded every year, both in summer and winter, by Italian and foreign tourists from all over the world. Salento is a very large land, so rich in interesting places and wonderful landscapes, that it is not always easy to be able to move in the right way, especially when you have only a few days of vacation available.

1) Visit the historic center of Lecce

A fascinating city, rich in history and tradition, characterized by a historic center as beautiful as few in the world. A triumph of Baroque style decorations and constructions, made with the refined Lecce stone, golden and extremely resistant. The masterpiece of the city is the Basilica of Santa Croce, symbol of Lecce’s baroque. The streets are always alive, with a very friendly atmosphere full of people in cafes and groups of friends enjoying an ice cream or street food. Anything else to see? Piazza Sant’Oronzo, the elegant living room of Lecce, the Roman amphitheater and the Palazzo del Seggio, or Seat, home to art exhibitions and exhibitions, together with the Carlo V castle. All immersed in a unique and evocative atmosphere.

2) Our delicacies

To the delight of those with a sweet tooth, who don’t want to give up a little indulgence even on holiday: pasticciotto is a typical dessert from the area, made of shortcrust pastry and filled with custard. Indeed, this is the original and delicious recipe for pasticciotto, although today other variations have spread which offer pasticciotto flavored with chocolate cream, cream and Nutella, or jam, up to the “Obama pasticciotto”. The latter was invented by the Cherì pastry shop, from Campi Salentina, which to pay homage to the president of the United States created a pasticciotto with cream and chocolate filling.

Certainly, all almond-based desserts are very famous: from “dry pastries” to the typical mostaccioli, without forgetting the almond paste used as icing on cakes or as the main ingredient for the Easter lamb. We also find puccia with olives which is one of the delicacies of the Salento bakery. Fragrant and genuine, it will surprise you with a unique taste, perfect for a quick meal on the beach or for a tasty snack.

3) Otranto

After Lecce, let’s head further south and reach the Otranto area: there are many places to visit in these parts. Let’s start from the Alimini lakes, two bodies of water close to the sea surrounded by greenery and a few steps from beautiful beaches of fine sand.

Next, the characteristic Bauxite lake is worth a stop, a place out of this world that will surprise you with its surreal colours. Finally, absolutely not to be missed is the Punta Palascìa lighthouse, the most eastern place in Italy, perched on a very spectacular rocky and jagged coast.

And, after visiting the surroundings, don’t miss the beautiful ancient village of Otranto: the port, the castle and above all the cathedral, with its spectacular Byzantine floor mosaics, will leave an indelible mark on your mind.

4) Take a bath in the Maldives of Salento

An obligatory stop for every self-respecting tourist, in Marina di Pescoluse you will find very fine white sand and a crystal clear sea welcoming you. Characteristics that have earned this magical place comparison with the famous exotic location, so renowned for its beauty.

5) Attend a local festival

Many are organised: we are talking about local festivals which are usually the celebration of a Salento specialty, local delicacies, accompanied by a triumph of music and lots of fun and we also find the popular village festivals, often dedicated to the patron saint. You just have to choose the one you like best, there is fried fish, frisa, aubergine, horse meat, watermelon and much more.

6) Enjoy the view from the Ciolo bridge

A scenic location in the Gagliano del Capo area, on the eastern coast of Salento, Ciolo takes its name from the “ciole“, the dialect name of the crows that populate the small canyon, circling over the intense blue of the sea. Carved out over the millennia by meteorite waters, the Ciolo is crossed by a bridge approximately 30 meters high and in front you will have a breathtaking view, which overlooks the very small beach where the sea is almost always calm and where, in summer, you can admire the pirouettes and acrobatics of the divers who choose the high cliffs for their exploits.

7) Visit Santa Maria di Leuca: Finibus terrae

Among the most beautiful cities in Salento, Santa Maria di Leuca is certainly not to be missed. In the last strip of Puglia only the sea marks the edge of the horizon. In summer, the emerald sea teems with life and white boats. The jagged coastline runs from Punta Mèliso to Punta Rìstola: sandy coves, ravines, caves, small inlets draw the line of the Ionian and Adriatic coasts which meet in front of the lighthouse of Punta Mèliso and the Sanctuary. From here you will have a fantastic view of the entire coast and the marina, truly unforgettable, especially at sunset.

On the promontory of Santa Maria di Leuca you can still see traces of ancient settlements, magical caves and splendid nineteenth-century villas. After the rocks overlooking the sea we will find Santa Cesarea Terme, the wild nature of Castro and the port of Tricase. The most famous caves? The Devil’s Cave, near Punta Rìstola, the Giants’ Cave and the Nativity Scene Cave.

8) Walk in the Salento countryside

During a holiday in Salento, it is worth taking long walks on the outskirts of the towns, all surrounded by large green spaces, dominated by centuries-old olive trees with twisted shapes, vineyards, red earth and plants typical of Mediterranean vegetation. Don’t miss a nice regenerating walk among the various dry stone walls that intersperse one property with another and why not, take a short break or a picnic accompanying the meal with a good new red wine and some typical delicacies of the area. The countryside is also suitable for trekking lovers and hikers who want to explore the area, get to know a part of Salento’s biodiversity and come across some ruined farmhouse or trullo, if you are in the Alberobello areas.

9) Dancing the pizzica

The Taranta Festival is certainly the Salento event par excellence, which every year, in the month of August, sees many squares in the Salento villages packed with people dancing to the sound of tambourines and guitars. The Taranta Festival is a traveling festival that takes place within some Salento municipalities, almost all belonging to Grecìa Salentina. Towns such as Martano, Sternatia, Cutrofiano, Galatina, ending, as usual, with the famous Notte della Taranta, in Melpignano it is an extraordinary folkloristic event with popular music that aims to enhance and spread Salento culture and traditions.

10) Boat excursion

Among the things to do in Salento whether you are on the Ionian side or on the Adriatic side, a boat tour is always highly recommended, as along the coast there are often cavities dug by the incessant action of the waves and agents atmospheric.
The coast of Salento is wonderful and varied and small boats often allow you to stop in the most beautiful places for swimming in crystal clear waters.

Carved into the rocky coast you will find a series of caves: the Poesia cave, in the Roca Vecchia area, between San Foca and Torre dell’Orso. Near Porto Badisco, the Deer Cave, decorated with Neolithic pictograms depicting deer hunting. Towards Castro, the Azzurra cave, the Palombara cave and the Zinzulusa cave, up to the Romanelli cave, a few hundred meters apart. Between Castro and Santa Maria di Leuca, the Dragon Cave, known for a stalactite in the shape of a prehistoric monster. Still towards the south, the Cipollane cave, with its seabed colored by red coral.

So, have we convinced you to pack your bags and move here for your summer in Salento?