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Especially Puglia

From Puglia to your table

Riso, Patate e Cozze: A Taste of Puglia’s Coast

Credits to Miria Onesta

As spring’s warm breezes start hinting at summer, it’s the perfect time to savor the taste of Puglia’s coast with a dish that truly embodies the sea: Riso, Patate e Cozze, or “rice, potatoes, and mussels.” This traditional Apulian recipe combines the earthy richness of rice and potatoes with the savory essence of mussels, creating a harmonious blend that sings of sunny days by the Adriatic.

Mussels, the star of this dish, are at their best In Puglia during the warmer months, from May to August. As summer approaches, Riso, Patate e Cozze becomes the perfect meal to celebrate the season’s bounty.

Whether you’re enjoying it by the sea or around the family table, each spoonful transports you to the shores of Puglia. So, let’s dive into how to craft this recipe right at home to bring a taste of Puglia into your kitchen!

Ingredients:

  • 500g mussels, cleaned and debearded
  • 300g Arborio rice
  • 2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 400g canned tomatoes, crushed
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • Fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Mussels: In a large pan, sauté garlic and onion in olive oil until softened. Add the mussels and cover, cooking until they open. Remove the mussels, keeping the liquid, and take the meat out of the shells.
  2. Cook the Rice and Potatoes: In the same pan, add the rice, potato slices, and crushed tomatoes. Pour in the reserved mussel liquid, adding water if necessary, to cook the rice and potatoes.
  3. Combine and Bake: Once the rice is halfway cooked, add the mussel meat back into the pan. Transfer everything into a baking dish, drizzle with olive oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 390°F (200°C) until the top is crispy and golden.
  4. Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve hot, straight from the oven.

Shop with Especially Puglia 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – also available our Adopt an Olive Tree – Olive Oil all year long!

Riso, Patate e Cozze is more than just a meal; it’s a celebration of Puglia’s coastal flavors, a dish that brings the family together and makes any day feel like a holiday.

Buon appetito!

Eggplant Parmigiana Recipe

Have you ever savored the rich, comforting layers of Eggplant Parmigiana? While many Americans are well-acquainted with the beloved Chicken Parmesan, it’s time to give the original “Parmigiana di melanzane” its due.

Credits to @La Regola del Piatto

This classic dish showcases the beauty of Italian cooking – simple yet elegant, turning basic ingredients into a delightful feast. It’s like the vegetarian cousin of lasagna, with its layers of tender eggplant, rich tomato sauce, and melted cheeses that come together in a beautiful, hearty dish!

Eggplant Parmigiana is not only perfect as a first course but also stands as a full meal in its own right. Whether you’re looking for comfort food or the ideal companion for a picnic, this dish fits the bill every time. Especially now, with eggplant season just around the corner!

So, why not bring a slice of southern Italy into your kitchen? Here’s how you can make Eggplant Parmigiana at home.

Ingredients:

  • 3 large eggplants, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
  • Salt
  • Flour, for dredging
  • 4 eggs, beaten
  • 2 cups breadcrumbs
  • 2 cups Parmesan cheese, grated
  • Olive oil, for frying
  • 4 cups tomato sauce, homemade or store-bought
  • 2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • Fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Prep the Eggplants: Sprinkle salt on the eggplant slices and let them sit for about an hour. This will help draw out the bitterness. Rinse the slices and pat them dry.
  2. Dredge and Fry: Coat the eggplant slices in flour, dip them into the beaten eggs, and then press them into the breadcrumbs mixed with half of the grated Parmesan. Fry the slices in olive oil until golden brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels.
  3. Layer Your Dish: In a baking dish, spread a thin layer of tomato sauce. Add a layer of fried eggplant slices, top with more sauce, sprinkle with mozzarella, and repeat the layers, finishing with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.
  4. Bake to Perfection: Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
  5. Garnish and Serve: Let the dish cool slightly, then garnish with fresh basil leaves. Serve warm and enjoy!

Dive into the layers of this exquisite dish!

Bonus Tip

If you have some of our extra virgin olive oil, it’s great for frying eggplants – even better if it’s more than 2 years old!

Shop with Especially Puglia 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – also available our Adopt an Olive Tree – Olive Oil all year long!

Buon appetito!

Pasquetta: Experience the Italian Spring Holiday Like a Pugliese

Credits to @anto_nymay

Have you heard of Italian “Pasquetta”? It literally means “Little Easter” in Italian, and it’s the informal name for the Monday after Easter. This is a national holiday, and Italians love it!

While Easter is often spent at home with relatives around the table, Pasquetta is all about going outside for fun. Think picnics and barbecues, enjoying good food and great company with family or friends outdoors. It’s also common to visit a farm or an agriturismo, where they can see the animals, taste the local products, and learn about the rural traditions.

Most people, however, head to parks or the countryside, where they can eat outside and enjoy the fresh air. They’ll pack homemade food to bring along and share with everyone. One thing you can’t miss on Pasquetta? Grilling! The sizzle of meat on the grill is for sure Pasquetta’s signature sound. It’s a lovely way to spend time with loved ones, soaking up the warm weather of the first spring days. 

What do Pugliese eat for Pasquetta?

The Pasquetta lunch in Puglia usually consists of several dishes, from appetizers to desserts, that can be enjoyed cold or at room temperature, and are easy to transport and share. 

People typically kick off the Pasquetta meal with cold cuts, known as “affettati”, which means “sliced” in Italian, because they are usually served in thin slices on a large platter or a wooden board. Affettati can include different types of salami, ham, prosciutto, mortadella, bresaola and more. They can also be paired with cheese, such as mozzarella, ricotta, or provolone. 

Something that can’t miss is the beloved focaccia, the flatbread typical from Puglia topped with tomatoes and olives. You’ll often find it at the center of the table to accompany appetizers or main courses.

The first course for the Pasquetta lunch in Puglia is normally a pasta dish. While lasagna steals the show for many, another common option is “pasta al forno”, or baked pasta. It consists of a layer of cooked pasta (usually rigatoni, tortiglioni, or mezzi rigatoni) mixed with a rich sauce of tomato and cheese.

Then, there’s the second course, which usually features grilled meats. Lamb takes the spotlight as the primary meat during the Easter period in Italy and remains a popular choice for Pasquetta barbecues. In Puglia, sausage – made from either veal or pork – is also a popular choice for grilling alongside lamb.

Finally, for desserts, a typical sweet in the Easter period in Italy is the “colomba”. It is a soft cake, shaped like a dove, with a crunchy topping of sugar and almonds. In Puglia, another beloved treat is “scarcelle”, traditional Easter pastries made with a simple dough of flour, eggs, butter, sugar, and flavorings. They are shaped into various forms, such as doves, lambs, baskets, or rings, and decorated with hard-boiled eggs, sugar sprinkles, or chocolate shavings. 

As you can see, the Pasquetta meal in Puglia is rich and varied. This delightful celebration truly embodies the spirit of Puglia’s lifestyle and love for simple pleasures, coming together with family and friends to enjoy good food in the open. Buona Pasquetta!

Fava beans and chicory: an ancient combination

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 Fava beans and chicory are two vegetables very common in Puglia: in our region, they are harvested and most used in winter time. They are usually cooked and paired together: this tasteful combo represents a traditional food that is being eaten since ancient times.

So where is this tradition from?

This tradition comes from Magna Graecia: it is the time when the Greek empire colonized southern Italia. And it was likely a custom brought there from the Greek people, that used to eat them, according to many literary sources. Aristophanes, a greek comedian playwright, mentioned these two ingredients combined already in 405 b.C., in his famous comedy “The Frogs”. He wrote that Heracles or Hercules, son of Zeus/Jupiter used to eat them in order to get more strength, while completing his famous 12 labors.

Is it still a custom to eat it?

The answer is yes, people are eating this dish especially in Puglia, where it is considered a humble dish, since its ingredients are easy to be found and simple to be cooked. It is commonly known as ‘Ncapriata, from the greek word “Kapiridia” and it is one of the healthiest vegetable recipes on Earth: that is because these two vegetables contain many useful substances for the human body and give a super-nutritious outcome when mixed together.

Indeed, the fava beans are rich of elements like vitamins, minerals, proteins and fibres, having antioxidant and energetic functions, while chicory has yet another series of vitamins and minerals, helpful to stimulate hunger, regulate intestinal functions, and have diuretic and detoxifying effects.

Its recipe is very simple and consists in making a purè with fava beans as a bed or side for the chicory leaves, that are usually simply stewed with olive oil, garlic and chili pepper. It can be eaten as a substitute to the main course, or as a side dish or yet as a single course.

A traditional comfort food

Nowadays, this dish is considered a winter time comfort food, easy to find everywhere in Puglia and very rich in flavors. So it is not just a healthy food, but it is also very appealing in all of its simplicity: it is a dish that makes people discover the taste of our land.

If you want to taste and replicate this simple recipe, you can click here and follow the making of it, with the precise ingredients.

Turnip greens: a must-have produce

Credits to PugliaKitchen
Credits to PugliaKitchen

Do you know what turnip greens are? They essentially are the turnip flowers who still have to bloom. They are commonly used in Puglia, since ancient times, because it is a food very low in calories with antioxidant properties and rich in vitamins, polyphenols and other substances like folic acid, that is useful to recover from stress.

How did turnip greens arrived in Puglia?

Turnip greens are not native to Puglia and not even to Italia. According to some sources, its first seeds were imported in the Middle Age by the Genoese traders from the Far East, with the French being the first to cultivate these vegetables. Another theory states that turnip greens arrived later in the old continent, around the seventeenth century, under the name of Syrian cabbage. According to some historical records from that century, the first large-scale cultivation of turnip greens was found in the Kingdom of Napoli and our region was part of it.

What recipes can be prepared with turnip greens?

These flowers are usually harvested between the end of January and the beginning of February. The turnip greens are used to prepare a typical Apulian dish that in Italia everyone knows: orecchiette con le cime di rapa, i.e. orecchiette (small ears) pasta with turnip greens. They can also be eaten as a side to other dishes just stewed or sautèed in a pan with some olive oil, garlic and chili pepper or to be used paired with sausage or on top of a focaccia pugliese.

A symbolic food in Puglia

It is one of the most symbolic vegetable food eaten in northern and central Puglia during winter time, thanks to its nutritional properties and because of its good flavor: it tastes quite bitter, but also very delicate and it is rich in pungency. Therefore, turnip greens give a typical aftertaste to the dishes it is used for, that are subsequently enriched by its use. In conclusion, it is one of the most famous vegetables in our region, because of its adaptability to many recipes and its peculiar taste.

If you want to taste this vegetable and replicate the most traditional Apulian pasta recipe, you can click here and follow the making of it step by step.

   

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