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Hunter’s Chicken (Pollo alla Cacciatore)

(Hunter’s Chicken) This dish is so popular that it even has its own national day on the 15th of October! “Cacciato...

The homemade fig jam recipe is one of the most classical in Italy and it’s usually made at the end of the summer when the fig season is about to end.

Since the figs are only available for a short amount of time and they are so very delicious, our family have always made fig jam so we can enjoy the taste all year round!

Fig jam is used as a spread for breakfast on toast or pastries, as a topping on yogurt or as an accompaniment to cheese and salami, this jam is versatile and goes perfectly with many dishes. We’ve even used it in flans too! We’ll show you how to easily make your own Italian fig jam

TIP

Before making your jam, make sure you sterilise the jars. Here are 4 of the easiest ways to do so:

1. STERILISE JARS IN A POT

Place a clean cotton cloth on the bottom of a pot and place over the jars with the upward opening. Wrap each jar in towels - individually. Cover with cold water and bring to boil on a high heat, letting it simmer for about 30 minutes. Allow jars to cool in the pot with all the water and then pull them out and let them dry with the opening down. Before using them, turn them over so that the vapour and residual water evaporate.

2. STERILISE JARS IN DISHWASHER

Place the jars and the lids in the dishwasher with the opening down and select a high-temperature wash, without soap. Allow the jars to cool and dry directly into the dishwasher before using. Turn them over so that vapour and residual water evaporate.

3. STERILISE JARS IN THE OVEN

Place the jars with the opening upwards on a plate and place them in the oven. Turn on the oven to bring it to 150°C (302°F) so that the glass, once in contact with the heat, does not break. Leave the jars in the oven for at least 15 minutes then turn off the oven, add the lids using another plate and allow to cool down with the oven door closed.

4. STERILISE JARS IN THE MICROWAVE

Fill the jars with water reaching half the height and place them in the microwave without their lids. Heat until boiling, then remove the jars from the microwave, remove the water and let them dry on a cotton dishcloth.

Remember: The lids cannot be sterilised in the microwave.

You can also sterilise your jars when already filled with jam by following one of the above methods.

Ingredients:

2 kg of figs (net weight)
400 grams of sugar (can be adjusted to preferred level of sweetness)
200g chopped walnuts
1 glass dry white wine (we use our very own Apeneste which is a Sauvignon Blanc)

Wash the figs then chop them into large chunks.

Place the figs and white wine into a large saucepan.

Put a medium heat under your saucepan and with a wooden spoon, give it an occasional stir as it gently comes to a boil.

Once your mixture starts to bubble, skim off the foam that forms on the surface with the help of a tablespoon.

Then, reduce the heat to low. Allow it to simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the figs become incredibly soft and easily pierced with a fork.

This simmering step is where the figs absorb the flavours and start to break down, creating that irresistible jam-like texture.

With the figs beautifully softened, it’s time to introduce sweetness into the mix.

Add half of the granulated sugar and stir diligently until it dissolves completely into the mixture. The sugar not only sweetens but also helps in thickening the jam.

After 5 mins, taste to see if it is sweet enough, if not, add the other half or so of the sugar.

Allow mixture to continue to cook for a further 10 minutes.

Now your figs have cooked, add the chopped walnuts and stir thoroughly.

Allow to continue cooking for a further 5 minutes.

The jam should now be the perfect, thick consistency you desire, it’s time to remove it from the heat.

Carefully transfer the fragrant mixture into your sterilised jars with lids. Allow the jam to cool at room temperature before refrigerating.

To serve:

Use to accompany cheese and cold cuts, on toast or on your morning pastries.

Our fig and walnut jam is also delicious on ice cream, in yogurts and can be used as cake and tart fillings. Great too as a cheesecake topping!

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

Keeps well unopened in a fridge for up to 2 months or so.
Make sure you sterilise your jars and lids to ensure that your jam remains safe to eat.
If your jam seems too thick for your liking, feel free to add a few more tablespoons of wine during the boiling stage and stir until you reach your desired consistency.
jam has a relatively short shelf life, so make sure to use it within the week once opened.
Fabulous as a present.

Perfect served with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

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Fig & Walnut Jam (Marmellata di Fichi)

The homemade fig jam recipe is one of the most classical in Italy and it’s usually made at the end of the summer when...

Frittura di mare

Mixed fried fish

Serves 4

If you want the best ever Frittura di Mare then look no further than our Zio Mario! The incredibly fresh fish and array of shellfish – caught that morning, presented on ice, makes a statement as you enter the kingdom of the fabulous food – also known as our zio Mario’s restaurant Ai due Ghiottoni. Whether you are a fish lover or not – this dish is a Puglian tradition. It simple, fresh and delicious!

It can be prepared with many types of fish, but usually with squid and king prawns, to which you can add small fish such as sardines, mullets, or mixed paranza. Of course, the cod (baccala)is also excellent. When in season, Zio Mario also adds courgette flowers to the mix – it is wonderful!
This dish is best prepared and served at the time, hot and crispy with a slice of lemon.

A top tip: serve it as part of any celebration – the Christmas eve feast is perfect for this dish – for our family though – any day of the year is good for this dish!

Ingredients

1 kg mixed fish

(squid, wild king prawns, langoustines, cod, red mullet, whitebait, scallops - whatever you prefer)

200 gr flour

Terre di San Vito’s Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Lemon

Preparing the squid:

The best squid for frying are the small ones, because they remain softer and have an intense flavour but you can use any.

To clean it, you must first remove the head then the entrails will come out as they remain attached.

The head is prepared by cutting off the part under the tentacles, removing the beak and rinsing it under a trickle of water.

The body must be prepared by removing the internal bone, then emptying it and rinsing it well. Slice the squid into rings of about 2 cm.

If the squid are very small then do cook them whole – no need to slice them.

Set them aside to drain.

Preparing the king prawns

Any raw prawns are best and are good for frying – the large wild king prawns or langoustines will require a little longer cooking time but are worth it.

For cleaning, cut off the prawn head and remove the dark gut placed on the back. If it does not come off well, help yourself with a toothpick.

Cut the long legs.

Rinse them and put them to drain.

Leave a selection in their shell – they are so tasty when fried.

Preparing the fish

Wash the fish under running water, remove the entrails and where possible any bones and rinse well.

Ensure all the fish and shell fish are well drained and dry.

If you do not like frying with whole fish, fillets can be obtained by removing the head and opening the fish along the belly to remove the bone – or ask your fishmonger to do this!

Cooking the dish (Cook by type)

Put a large pan with the oil on to heat. If you have a cooking thermometer, the right temperature to start frying is around 180 ° C. Or use a deep fat fryer.

In the meantime, dip each type of fish into the flour, shake it slightly to remove the excess and place it carefully into the hot oil.

First fry the whole fish or cod, then the baby squid, finally the prawns/langoustine.

Remove the fish as soon as it is golden brown. Remember, the prawns do need to cook until golden – even the ones still in their shell.

Generally 2 minutes are enough for small to medium sized prawns, 3 minutes for the larger ones and langoustine.

Remove the fish as it is ready with a slotted spoon and dry on a sheet of kitchen paper.

Season with salt and serve immediately.

To serve

Put on a large platter in the centre of the table, add a pinch of salt and a couple of lemon wedges and serve with a fresh salad.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

It is essential to use a large frying pan and keep the heat on a constant highto prevent the temperature of the oil from lowering and the squid and fish in general from being soggy.
If you can find them, add courgette flowers or slices of courgettes (dipped in the flour) to the hot oil for one of your 5-a-day!

Serve our Frittura di mare with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

Frittura di mare, Ai due Ghiottoni, FAMILY RECIPES, bari, italy, puglia, Ai due Ghiottoni a mare

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Mixed Fried Fish and calamari (Frittura di mare)

If you want the best ever Frittura di Mare then look no further than our Zio Mario! The incredibly fresh fish and arr...

Catalana lobster: Lobster with a vegetable sauce

Astice alla Catalana

Serves 4

The south of Italy is known for many incredible food specialities - especially Bari with their incredible extra virgin olive oils, breads, meats, cheeses and pasta. A region of Italy that will have your taste buds dancing as they go on an adventure of a lifetime! The miles and miles of incredible coastline ensures the seafood from Bari is INCREDIBLE and eating it raw is an absolute MUST. It is not just the variety of fish and seafood that is caught daily, seven days a week, but the quality, all year round – rain or shine the quality is off the scale (excuse the pun!). All along the coastline, you will find fish restaurants with fishmongers and fishermen selling their daily catch. The nets, boats and large blue plastic buckets present the abundance given up by the sea.

Aragosta alla Catalana is an Italian dish originating from Sardinia but of course, all regions have their variations and Bari is no exception. It is a decadent dish but one that is easy to prepare and is a real celebratory dish.

This is Auntie Lucia’s recipe and we made it for her birthday celebration – with the biggest lobster we could find!

Ingredients:

Two raw or pre-cooked 600-700g lobsters

6-10 vine tomatoes, cut into halves

1 large or 2 small red onions, cut into small chunks

3 sticks of celery cut into small chunks

3 carrots, cleaned and cut into small chunks

(cut all vegetables into the same size chunks – nice and small is best)

Lemon juice

Terre Di San Vito Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Preparing the dish:

Cook the lobster in salted boiling water for about 30 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.

Cut the lobsters in half (lengthways from head to tail).

Remove the

Remove the tail meat and chop it into small chunks (slightly larger than the vegetables).

Keep the shell to serve the lobster.

Remove the black spine – it’s the poop!

Extract the meat from the claws and add it to the rest of the cut lobster pieces.

Place the lobster meat in a dish with the chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot and celery.

Remove the creamy part from the lobster head, if there are any green parts – do not throw this – add it to the mixture, it is extremely tasty (but if unsure – do not use it) and if there is any coral – keep this too. Spoon the red and green material into a sieve set over a second mixing bowl, then scrape this through the sieve into the bowl for the dressing.

Prepare the dressing

In a bowl with the creamy lobster head meat, add a pinch of salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil.

Mix until smooth and well-blended.

Now combine the cut lobster, vegetables and dressing and mix well.

To serve:

Place the lobster and vegetable mixture into the lobster shell and serve on large platters. This dish would go well with any white wine but the perfect pairing would really be a very chilled bottle of Terre Di San Vito’s Terre Brut Sparkling white wine.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

An incredible summer dish for two or more people

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Terre Brut Sparkling white wine.

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Lobster Catalana style (Astice alla Catalana )

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Baked layered aubergine

Parmigiana di melanzane alla Pugliese

Serves 6

This is the traditional Italian dish that is in my all-time top 5 and my sister Angelina’s absolute favourite dish! It is made all year round and especially on a Sunday. It is the first dish my grandmother used to make me and my siblings when we would arrive for a holiday. The smell is incredible, the taste is unforgettable. It can be eaten hot or cold, for a starter, main course (or desert! Only joking!). As my uncle Pasquale would say: davvero numero uno!

Many regions in Italy claim the invention of the parmigiana and all of them could be true. Each region prepares their own version and all are delicious but none quite like our Nonna’s recipe which has been shared and passed on throughout our family and now to you!

The hardest part of making this dish is trying to stop the people around you (or you) from eating the aubergines once they have been fried!

In Sicilian dialect “Parmiciana” indicates the slats of wood in the window shutters, which remind us of the overlapping aubergine and tomato sauce layers. Some also believe Parmigiana came from Parma in the north of Italy but it is not typical of the region of Parma so this is probably unlikely. However, it is a typical Puglian ‘cucina povera’ dish that is found in all households – with some variations of course!

A classic that never ever, ever disappoints, this Parmigiana di melanzane alla Pugliese is an extremely tasty dish. It does take time to prepare and can be prepared in advance but it is not really one of those light and healthy dishes but for the parmigiana, I suggest you make the sacrifice - I promise you, you won’t regret it!

Ingredients:

700 g of long purple aubergines (1cm slices)

100 g of flour

4 eggs (beaten)

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cloves chopped garlic

1 lit of tomato sauce (leftover from the meatball recipe is good)

300 g of mozzarella or scamorza cheese (chopped into 1cm cubes)

100 g of grated Parmesan cheese

sunflower oil for frying

A few basil leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

150g Mortadella sliced or chopped (optional)

Preparing the tomato sauce:

Make a sauté with the finely chopped small onion and garlic

Add 1 lit tomato pasata, fill the empty jars with a little water – swirl them around to gather the remaining sauce and pour into the other jar then empty into the saucepan

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes.

Set aside (can use hot or cold)

Preparing the melanzane

Wash the whole aubergines and cut them into slices lengthwise and with a thickness of about 1 cm.

Dip each slice into the flour (both sides)

Then dip each slice into the beaten egg.

In a large frying pan, add enough oil to for shallow frying and heat the oil.

Add a pinch of flour to the oil to check it is hot (but not burning), when the flour sizzles, the oil is ready.

As soon as you have dipped each slice into the egg, fry them for a few minutes, taking care to cook them on both sides until golden.

Do not overload the frying pan – fry them in batches.

Once golden, place the aubergines on a plate with kitchen paper – you will need a few layers - so you can remove the excess oil.

Putting the dish together:

Preheat your oven to 180

This dish is all about the ‘layers’.

Pour a ladle of sauce onto the base of a baking dish.

Without overlapping them, arrange a first layer of aubergines across the baking dish.

Scatter a handful of the chopped mozzarella (or scamorza) onto the aubergine layer.

If adding the mortadella, add a layer now.

Add another layer of sauce and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Repeat the process of layering: aubergine, mozzarella, (mortadella), sauce, parmesan.

Aim for two to three layers (depending on tray size)

Finish with a final covering of parmesan on top of the sauce then bake for 30-45 minutes in a hot oven.

Your Parmigiana di melanzane alla Pugliese is ready when the topping is beginning to burn around the edges (we love those bits).

To serve:

If you can keep your hands off it, let the parmigiana rest so that the flavours can develop and it cools slightly, then serve on plates or better still – to really give this dish the honour it deserves, serve it at the table!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

150g of chopped mortadella or ham is usually included in each layer for an authentic Puglian dish.

Don’t be scared to let the top burn – it makes the dish even more tasty!

This dish can be eaten hot or cold and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Il Vescovo award-winning red wine.

OUR FAMILY LIKE TO MAKE

Baked layered aubergine (Parmigiana di melanzane alla Pugliese )

This is the traditional Italian dish that is in my all-time top 5 and my sister Angelina’s absolute favourite dish! I...

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Baked potatoes, rice and mussels (Patate, riso e cozze)

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Focaccia alla Barese

Focaccia bread with tomatoes and olives from Bari

The focaccia from Bari is incredible! The smell, the taste, the look – words fail me! Focaccia, like everything else in Italy has its regional variations. Even in Bari, there is focaccia made with and without potato mixed in with the dough – you will have to try them all at some point and this is a great place to start.

The Focaccia Barese is unparalleled goodness! It is sold on every corner of the Apulian cities and is consumed at any time of day, from a snack on the street, to dinner with the family, from a picnic out of town to a snack at school! It is crunchy on the outside, soft a fluffy on the inside.

The last time I went to Bari, my brother and sisters begged me to bring some back so, on the morning of departure, off I went with uncle Franco to place on the seafront in Torre a Mare – overlooking the sea – called Panificio Montecristo. it is an incredible experience! You can smell the focaccia cooking from a mile away! I bought 8kg of focaccia, it was steaming hot. We drove to the airport and the aromas in the car were heavenly! I then had to put them in the case so I could check everything through. While walking through the airport – the aromas coming from the suitcase had heads turning and I’m sure stomachs rumbling!

Our auntie Silva is a genius at making this and this is her recipe. So if you can’t get to Montecristo, you must try this recipe.

Ingredients

For the dough

200 g of flour '0

200 g re-milled durum wheat semolina

100 g of Manitoba flour (which you can replace with 0 flour but I recommend you use for maximum softness)

300 g water at room temperature

150 g boiled, cooled, mashed potatoes

15 g of salt

2 and a half tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of dry dehydrated brewer 's yeast (4 g)

(alternatively 10 g of fresh brewer's yeast)

For the topping

500 gr of cherry tomatoes cut in half. Just before adding them to the topping, mix them with the extra virgin olive oil, salt and oregano.

15 - 20 black olives (remove pips if possible)

extra virgin olive oil

salt

dried oregano

You will need approx 40 cm pan or two 30cm pans

Preparing the dough

In a large bowl, mix all the flours together.

Set aside 95 g from the total and place in a bowl and add to the yeast and 100 g of water.

Stir it together until it forms a soft leaven.

Cover with cling film and let it rise at around 26 ° (close to the oven is best) for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume and is filled with bubbles.

You can proceed either by hand, combining all the ingredients in a bowl or with a mixer. Auntie Silvia always does this by hand but then that’s the way she was taught. Ahh.

Now combine the cold potato puree and flour set aside into the raised dough.

Mix with your hands or with the whisk. The dough is soft, so it should easily mix. Keep going until the liquid is completely absorbed and the dough has taken its shape.

Begin adding the oil little by little, spoon by spoon.

When all the ingredients have been mixed together well, add the salt.

The dough must be quite stringy, but it should still be soft.

Don’t overwork it as you don’t want it to be hard or too compact!

When the dough is ready pour it on to a cold work surface dusted with Manitoba flour.

Sprinkle some of the flour on to your hands.

Bring the dough over so you are folding it twice so it is like an envelope or wallet.

With your hands still dusted with flour, give the dough two more folds.

The dough at this point should have begun to take shape.

Give the dough another two folds then with your hands of flour, turn it, make it into a smooth ball and put it in a bowl

Cover with cling film and let it rise (near a warm oven) until the dough of the focaccia triples in volume (about 3 hours)

Rolling out the focaccia

Grease your hands with a little oil and the pan/s.

Take the dough into your hands with the olive oil, wrap your hands around the dough so that it is all coated.

Spread the dough into the lightly oiled pan/s tapping with your fingertips, spreading the dough well.

Add the focaccia topping

Sink the cherry tomatoes halfway into the semi-leavened dough, alternating with some black olives.

Cover the top of the focaccia with the tomatoes and olives and add the cherry tomato juice to give it extra flavour.

Drizzle over the top some of the extra virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle with oregano and a pinch of salt.

Let it rise for at least 1 hour and a half until the focaccia has doubled in volume

Cooking your focaccia

Using either a static or conventional oven – even better if you have a pizza oven in your garden! Heat it to 200 °.

Place the pan/s with the focaccia on the bottom of the oven in contact with the base (if you want a nice crunchy edge) and cook for about 12 minutes. If the pan is small, 15 minutes.

After 12 minutes, transfer the focaccia to the medium-high part of the oven and immediately activate the grill, let it cook for another 6-7 minutes if the pan is small, or another 10-12 minutes if it is large.

Always do the necessary test: open the oven, if you can lift the crunchy edges with a toothpick – it’s ready!

Remove the Focaccia and let it cool for 5 minutes! Delicious hot or cold! Our focaccia never gets cold – it is gone in an instant!

Storing your focaccia (if you have any left!)

About an hour after cooking, seal it perfectly in greaseproof paper and clingfilm. This will keep it soft for up to 3 days at room temperature!

To serve

What can I say here – serve it in small squares for a starter, with your apperitivo or take a slice of mortadella, lay it on top of a slice of focaccia and enjoy!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Cut this into small chunks (which it is best to do alone as once cooked, it is so delicious, it will be gone before it reaches the plate!) it is wonderful as part of your aperitivo.

With your burrata.

With a slice of your favourite salami, prosciutto or my brother’s favourite – mortadella, over the top!

On the beach, at home or in a restaurant – a great alternative to bread and so much more deliziosa!

Serve our Focaccia alla Barese

with an ice cold Peroni or with a glass of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

OUR FAMILY LIKE TO MAKE

Focaccia bread with tomatoes and olives from Bari (Focaccia alla Barese)

The focaccia from Bari is incredible! The smell, the taste, the look – words fail me! Focaccia, like everything else ...

Salsa di polpette

serves 4-6

This is it – the ultimate Italian recipe, the one that is still going strong! Every Italian family has their own version of their meatball sauce but this one, handed down from our late father, made with love, really is the best! Around the world, most people accompany this sauce with spaghetti but in Italy, it is always served with either rigatoni or penne pasta.

Pasta with meatballs brings back such wonderful memories of our summers in Bari. Sitting round the table, our aunties and uncles and about 20 of our cousins! The smell of the cooking meatball sauce wafting around us! We would sneak into the kitchen, grab a chunk of bread and when no one was watching, dip it into the sauce then burn the roof of our mouths because it was so hot but my goodness, it was worth it!

The meatballs in this recipe can be any size but my brother and sisters love them mini sized – about the size of a marble. This size is also perfect when making a pasta al forno (recipe for next month!). A perfect dish for the family. It can be frozen in batches and reheats really well. Have some crusty bread ready to dip in – just to check the taste of the sauce of course!

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

4 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking

1onion finely chopped

Handful fresh basil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 jars Passata (around 690g each or the cartons)

Salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs:

900g minced meat (equal amounts of pork, veal and beef)

Approx 200g grated parmesan or romano cheese (you will need more cheese

for garnishing when serving)

Handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

4 slices white bread (no crust)

1 glass milk

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

500g Penne or Rigatoni pasta (or any pasta of choice)

First, prepare the sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat

When warm, add the finely chopped onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent.

Then add the chopped garlic, do not let it burn.

Once it is lightly golden, add the 2 jars pf passata.

Fill one of the empty passata jars with water, swish it around the bottle (with the lid on!) then pour it into the second empty jar. When all the remaining sauce has been collected by the swirling water, add it to your sauce.

Add a teaspoon and a half of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper and stir the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, add a lid and let it cook for at least an hour. Low and slow. After approx. 30 min, taste your sauce to see if you need to add more seasoning (with a spoon or by dipping in a chunk of crusty bread – but remember – it is hot!)

Next, prepare the meatballs:

In a small bowl, place the 4 slices of white bread (remove crust) and enough milk to cover. Leave the bread to absorb the milk.

In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, parmesan/romano and 2 beaten eggs.

Remove the bread from the milk and lightly squeeze it to remove the excess liquid (this will make your meatballs light and fluffy) and add it to the meat mixture.

With your freshly washed hands, blend all the ingredients together.

This is where you will need to decide on the size of your meatballs. For the mini meatballs, approx. 1 teaspoon of meat (a lot of work but kids love the little ones!) for a larger meatball, about a heaped tablespoon. This will require a bit of time but you will have a lot of meatballs!

Form your meatballs and place them on a tray/plate.

When you have done this, have a sip of wine! Then remove the lid off the sauce, carefully drop each ball in to the sauce – be careful not to drop them from a height!

Bring the heat up slightly so that they simmer in the sauce but do not let it boil.

The meatballs need to cook for about 30 minutes. Have a quick taste to see if you need to add any more salt and pepper.

Finally, boil the pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.

I cannot emphasise the importance of sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined.

Follow the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta as directed on the packet.

Once cooked, drain the water. You will need to use the saucepan for mixing so don’t wash the pan up just yet!

To serve:

I am salivating as I write this. In fact, I am sure I can smell the delicious sauce cooking!

Add the chopped basil to your tomato and meatball sauce and give a light stir.

In the large empty saucepan where you cooked the pasta, put your drained pasta and add approx 5 ladles of the incredible sauce.

Mix together well.

Then either transfer this to a serving dish or into individual bowls.

Add the meatballs on top of the pasta and a good handful of either parmesan or romano cheese.

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Ensure you use plenty of salt in the water when cooking your pasta otherwise it will reduce the flavour of the sauce.

Let your tomato sauce cook long and slow – the longer the better before adding the meatballs.

You can use other minced meat combinations as veal is sometimes difficult to find in the UK. Most people use beef and pork or just beef but I do not recommend using pork only as it will not give you the right balance of flavours.

This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and will taste even better!

This sauce is used in next month’s pasta al forno so freeze any remaining sauce!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Cantiniere Primitivo wine.

OUR FAMILY LIKE TO MAKE

Meatball sauce from Dad (Michele) (Salsa di polpette)

This is it – the ultimate Italian recipe, the one that is still going strong! Every Italian family has their own vers...

Mushroom vol au vents

(Vol au vent ai funghi)

Ahh. Celebration time is here! Obviously this is not an Italian dish but it has become a true family favourite and one we had to share with you.

Creamy retro mushroom vol-au-vents that’s become a must-have at every celebration! Whether it’s Christmas Eve dinner with our loved ones in the UK or Italy, everyone insists on having these little pastry delights on the table. Rich, crispy pastry filled with a decadent, creamy mushroom filling – the perfect bite-sized indulgence. It’s a dish that brings us all together, no matter where we are!

My sister has been trying to get this recipe off me for years – so now it’s here – be prepared to incorporate this as one of your family’s traditions! I usually make these in batches of 60 or so but this recipe will make enough filling for one pack of 18 vol au vents. Any leftover – freeze it! The sauce can be used on top of veal, steak, pork chops or chicken!

We don’t waste time – we use the frozen vol au vent cases and whenever we go to Italy – which is often, we take a couple of packs and keep them in the freezer – ever ready for parties!

Ingredients
500g mushrooms
TDSV EVO Oil for frying
2 cloves garlic (finely chopped or grated)
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
2 teaspoons telma chicken (or vegetable) stock powder

2 teaspoons flour
Salt and pepper
300ml double cream
Dash of brandy
1/2 cup of milk
One finely chopped white onion

Preparing the mushroom filling
Prepare all ingredients before you begin cooking:

Finely chop the onions
Finely chop the mushrooms

Grate or finely chop the garlic

Heat some evoo in a large frying pan over a medium–high heat.

Add the onions and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring often, until softened and fully cooked.
Add the mushrooms and cook for approx 15-20 min – until any excess liquid from the mushrooms

has evaporated.

Once you mixture is dry, add the flour, stock powder/cube, some ground black pepper and

paprika. DO NOT ADD SALT. Mix well.
Add a good dash of brandy and stir.

You will hear the mushrooms crackling and beginning to stick to your pan – pour in the cream and

stir well.

Allow to bubble until it coats the mushrooms in a light sauce. Then taste your mixture. If needed

add some salt and more pepper.
Take the pan off the heat and allow it to cool.
Place into a container and store in the fridge.

The mixture will solidify somewhat but this will make it easier when assembling the dish.

Preparing the vol au vent cases:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC

Work with the pastry cases frozen as its easier to handle.
On a large flat baking tray, lay some greaseproof paper.

Pour the milk into a small dish and one by one, dip the top of the vol au vent cases into the milk
then place onto the baking tray. Do not submerge the whole case, just the top – or if you have a

brush, brush the top of the vol au vent case.

Place onto baking tray and into the oven for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown and well risen.

Remove from the oven and let the cases cool in the tray for a few minutes.

Using a teaspoon, carefully push the circle in the tops into the case so a well is made ready for the filling.

To serve
Heat your oven to 180

Fill each case with a teaspoon or so of the mushroom sauce and place on a baking tray.

Heat in the oven for approx 10 minutes or until warned through.

Our favourite party recipe and one that goes down fabulously well with friends and family.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:
The sauce can be frozen.

Use any extra sauce on top of veal, steak, pork chops or chicken!
The cases and filling can be made a day ahead

The sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Serve our Mushroom vol au vents with any of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito wines –

after all, it is a party!

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

DECEMBER. Mushroom vol au vents

Creamy retro mushroom vol-au-vents that’s become a must-have at every celebration! Whether it’s Christmas Eve dinner ...

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

NOVEMBER Twice baked biscuits (Cantucci biscotti)

Biscotti, known also as cantucci, are Italian almond biscuits that originated in the Tuscan city of Prato. They are t...

Polpette di zucchine

(Courgette fritters)

Who doesn’t love something fried every now and then?! In Italy, we love to use fresh ingredients of the season and courgettes have just been harvested from our family’s farm, and we have a party this evening so this recipe is perfect for us!

This recipe makes the most delicious, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside mini courgette fritters. Perfect as a canape or make them larger and have as a main course!

This recipe makes approx 50 mini fritters.

Ingredients:

1kg courgettes, coarsely grated
6 –8 eggs, beaten
150g grated Parmesan
150g grated Pecorino cheese
(or use 300g parmesan if no pecorino available)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 level tablespoon finely chopped fresh mint
3 cloves garlic – finely grated
Terre Di San Vito Extra virgin olive oil for shallow frying

Preparing the dish:

The process is simple and requires minimal effort. The hardest part is straining the water out of the courgettes. Because they are made of 95% water, therefore squeezing the water out is the critical step to obtain crunchy fritters! The rest of the process is similar to making a pancake and so easy peasy!

Start by shredding the courgettes using the large holes of a box grater.

Once shredded, place them in a colander over a bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoon of salt, which will help drain the water out of the courgettes.

Wait 30 minutes and start squeezing the grated courgettes with your hands or use a cheese cloth or tea towel and remove as much water as possible.

It is crucial to remove the water, in order to have crunchy fritters and not soggy ones.

In a mixing bowl, place the shredded, strained courgettes, half of the beaten eggs, most of the Parmesan and Pecorino (hold some back in case the mixture is too wet/dry), grated garlic and the chopped mint.

Mix together well. Add a little salt and pepper. You should have a thick batter.

*Add the rest of the cheese if you feel your batter is too wet.

*Add the rest of the beaten egg if your batter is too dry.

Add some EVOO to a skillet or large frying pan over medium-high heat, and when the oil shimmers, add a large tablespoon/quenelle of the mixture, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until they become golden brown on both sides.

Do not overload your frying pan. Once one batch are cooked, place on a baking tray and keep warm in the oven (on a low light)

To serve:

Serve the courgettes hot or cold – they are delicious either way!

Excellent as a side dish, party nibble canape, or main course. Fabulous on picnics and on a buffet.

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

You can store your fritters covered with silver foil in the fridge for a couple of days.
Suitable for freezing.
Can eat hot or cold
Can be adapted for any veg!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

OCTOBER Courgette fritters

Who doesn’t love something fried every now and then?! In Italy, we love to use fresh ingredients of the season and co...

Gelato Malaga

Rum & Raisin ice cream

A boozy, easy, delicious ice cream! My family love this wonderful ice cream – it brings back such incredible memories of when we were children in the 1980’s, a very special treat - going to the ‘Gelateria’ overlooking the main beach in Bari!

It was originally made with raisins from Malaga and of course a dark rum, hence the name Rum n Raisin or gelato Malaga! It was incredibly popular in Italy for many years and for a while, in the UK too. But for the past 20 years, it’s become more and more difficult to find it here – but not in Italy! This is an easy to make recipe and you don’t need an ice cream machine!!

TIP: If you have time, soak the raisins for 24 hours before making the ice cream otherwise, place the raisins in a small pan, add the rum and heat carefully. Once the rum is warm, turn heat off and leave raisins to soak for 30 min.

Do not use more that 60ml rum in your ice cream as it will not set – I’ve tried it!

Ingredients:

SOAKED RAISINS:

300g raisins

125ml dark rum

ICE CREAM:

X1 /2 can of condensed milk 200g

1/2 can unsweetened evaporated milk 200g

60ml dark rum

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp allspice powder

250 ml double cream

250ml full fat milk

(or low fat cream - so it's not too sweet or calorific!) or if you like it sweet - use 500ml double cream!

Preparing the dish:

Place your raisins in a jar or tupperware container – with a lid. Add 125ml dark rum and allow them to soak for at least 24 hours – turning every now and then so all liquid is absorbed. The raisins will absorb most of the rum – the excess you can use in your ice cream.

Mix together the vanilla, 60ml rum, condensed milk, evaporated milk and allspice powder. This can be done by hand – no mixer needed.

Add the rum soaked raisins and mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, using a hand blender, whisk the double cream (or substitute) until it is thick and firm (not butter!)

Take a large spoon of the whipped cream and mix it into the condensed milk mixture until it is well incorporated. This should make the mixture easier to stir and will allow you to incorporate the rest of the cream mixture and keep it aerated.

Gently pour the condensed milk mixture into the cream and fold to combine – ensure there are no lumps of cream but DO NOT OVER MIX.

Pour the mixture into a plastic or glass container – preferably one that has a lid (I use plastic containers) or cover with cling film.

Freeze for at least 12 hours.

This recipe is a soft scoop ice cream and will not freeze hard due to the inclusion of alcohol so do not be tempted to add more rum – I promise you it doesn’t need it!

To serve:

Serve straight from the freezer in glasses or in ice cream cones

Top tips:

Serve as soon as you remove from the freezer as it is very soft and creamy!

Make it non-alcoholic by removing the rum and using rum essence. Soak the raisins in a little hot water with the rum essence

Do not be tempted to use more rum as this will inhibit your ice cream from setting.

Perfect served with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Cantiniere Primitivo red wine or our sparkling Brut.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

SEPTEMBER Rum & Raisin Ice Cream

A boozy, easy, delicious ice cream! My family love this wonderful ice cream – it brings back such incredible memories...

Pasta with basil and salty ricotta

Pasta crudaiola

(serves 4-6)

This is a typical Apulian cold dish, ideal for the hot summer days and nights, tasty on a picnic or for a buffet! Clearly reflecting the colours of the Italian flag: red white and green, this easy dish has only a few ingredients but please try to get the best quality ingredients as the only cooking here is the pasta! It is my ‘go to’ recipe when I’m having friends or family over.

As you know from my last pasta dish, Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears and traditionally this is what is used but a penne or rigatoni will do just as well. It should be prepared at least half an hour in advance so the flavours can develop - so as well as being easy, it’s really convenient too! This is just a starting point. Please adjust the ingredients to suit your taste buds! The Ricotta Marzotica is a hard, white, salty cheese. It crumbles and grates very easily and when used on warm pasta, it melts to give a creamy (ish) sauce. It can be bought in the UK, online is probably the easiest way. It also freezes well. That’s lucky because I always bring a big chunk of it back from Italy, cut it into about 500g pieces and keep it in the freezer. You don’t need to defrost it, actually it’s easier to grate from frozen.

Ingredients

Dried pasta (Orecchiette/penne/rigatoni) 500g

Fresh cherry or any ripe tomatoes 300g

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil 120ml approx

Garlic 1 clove - crushed

Ricotta marzotica cheese 200-300g

Salt for the pasta water

Basil leaves: 15-20

Preparing the dish

Wash the tomatoes and basil.

Cut the cherry tomatoes in half (larger tomatoes into ¼)and place in a large mixing bowl.

Chop the basil and add it to the bowl with the tomatoes (smelling good now?) Crush or chop the garlic and add it to the bowl with the tomato mixture (smelling even better?)

Finely grate the ricotta marzotica.

Add half of it to the mixture – keep the other half for when you are serving the dish.

Pour half of the olive oil in to the mixture and give it all a good stir.

Cover the mixture and place it in the fridge for at least ½ an hour.

In a large saucepan, add at least 4 litres of water and a good, big pinch of salt. Bring the water to a boil then add your chosen pasta.

Once the pasta is cooked to your liking, drain off the water.

Now it’s time to bring it all together!

Remove the mixture from the fridge, add the cooked pasta (whilst still warm) and mix it all together well.

Add the rest of the ricotta marzotica and olive oil and give a final stir.

Serve it immediately or let it cool down and eat it when you are ready!

Now you can see why this is a great dish when entertaining, to keep in the fridge or for taking to friends.

Buon appetito!

Top tip

Increase/decrease the measures of olive oil and ricotta marzotica to fit your taste

If left out for a long while, or if you have used too much oil – which I do regularly, the oil and cheese mixture will sink to the bottom of the bowl so give it a little mix every now and then.

If you don’t like the crushed garlic, add large slices then before adding the pasta, remove the garlic from the mixture.

Always serve this dish with a bottle of our fabulous Apeneste

Salute!

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

AUGUST Pasta with basil and ricotta (crudaiola)

This is a typical Apulian cold dish, ideal for the hot summer days and nights, tasty on a picnic or for a buffet! Cle...

Marmellata di Ciliegie

(Cherry Jam)

Our cherry jam is a true taste of summer from our family’s estate in Puglia, where we’re lucky to have fabulous cherry trees. Each year, we make the most of our abundant harvest, turning those sweet, juicy cherries into this luscious, homemade jam. Zia Lucia loves to give it as gifts, and we can’t get enough of it at breakfast on warm toast! It’s the perfect way to capture the essence of our farm and enjoy a little piece of Puglia all year round. ❤️

TIP

Before making your jam, make sure you sterilise the jars. Here are 4 of the easiest ways to do so:
1. STERILISE JARS IN A POT

Place a clean cotton cloth on the bottom of a pot and place over the jars with the upward opening.
Wrap each jar in towels - individually. Cover with cold water and bring to boil on a high heat, letting
it simmer for about 30 minutes. Allow jars to cool in the pot with all the water and then pull them
out and let them dry with the opening down. Before using them, turn them over so that the vapour

and residual water evaporate.
2. STERILISE JARS IN DISHWASHER

Place the jars and the lids in the dishwasher with the opening down and select a high-temperature
wash, without soap. Allow the jars to cool and dry directly into the dishwasher before using. Turn

them over so that vapour and residual water evaporate.

3. STERILISE JARS IN THE OVEN

Place the jars with the opening upwards on a plate and place them in the oven. Turn on the oven
to bring it to 150°C (302°F) so that the glass, once in contact with the heat, does not break. Leave
the jars in the oven for at least 15 minutes then turn off the oven, add the lids using another plate

and allow to cool down with the oven door closed.
4. STERILISE JARS IN THE MICROWAVE

Fill the jars with water reaching half the height and place them in the microwave without their lids. Heat
until boiling, then remove the jars from the microwave, remove the water and let them dry on a cotton

dishcloth.

Remember: The lids cannot be sterilised in the microwave.

You can also sterilise your jars when already filled with jam by following one of the above

methods.

Ingredients:
1kg of cherries (net weight)

200 grams of sugar (can be adjusted to preferred level of sweetness)

2 lemons

Preparing the jam:
Wash the cherries and remove the stalks.
Pit them – this takes a while but it is worth it!

Place all the cherries into a bowl and add the sugar, lemon juice and the lemon rind from the two lemons and mix well.

Let the cherries macerate for several hours or overnight to draw out their juices.

Place the cherries and their liquid into a saucepan.

Simmer, covered, for about 20-30 minutes, or until the cherries are quite soft and the liquid has thickened enough so a wooden spoon will leave an open trail behind it when you scrape it along the bottom of the saucepan.

Remove the lemon zest and using a hand blender, pulse them until you have the consistency you like (or leave them whole – whatever you like)

Then let the cherries cool.

Once the cherry mixture has cooled completely, transfer it into your sterilised jars.
No need to add any extra thickening agent as the pectin in the cherries will do their thing!

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

Keeps well unopened in a fridge for up to 2 months or so.

If you sterilise your container by boiling them for 10-15 minutes after sealing, they
can last upwards of a year. But even just tucked away in the fridge, a batch will last
for several weeks at least. Just how long I can’t say from experience, since it never

lasts that long in our house!

Make sure you sterilise your jars and lids to ensure that your jam remains safe to

eat.

Fabulous as a present.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

JULY Cherry Jam

Our cherry jam is a true taste of summer from our family’s estate in Puglia, where we’re lucky to have fabulous cherr...

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

JUNE Lemon Tiramisu

The creamy, delicious, world-famous desert has a new sister! Spring is here and it's time for our refreshing, tangy ...

Asparagus risotto

Serves 4

This is the season for green asparagus! At our farm in Puglia, at this time of year we are all busy picking the asparagus and discussing what we know is coming next – Auntie Lucia’s delicious asparagus risotto where the asparagus is definitely the star!

It is a traditional plant-based Pugliese dish and is easy to make. The asparagus season begins around the end of February and goes through to the end of May, sometimes until the middle of June. Just like the artichokes, asparagus is another great source of nutrients, including fibre, folate and vitamins A, C and K. Our grandmother was always telling us that asparagus has incredible healing powers ‘’ fa bene allo stomaco’’ (it’s good for your stomach!) she would say! Actually it is known to have potential health benefits, including improved digestion and helping to lower blood pressure. A typical starter in Italy – especially in the south, is usually pasta-based, but we have such an abundance of vegetables here that you will find seasonal specialities singing the joy of the vegetable and a risotto or frittata is a perfect way to ensure the vegetable is the star of the plate! Once you have mastered this recipe from Zia Lucia, you will be able to make any risotto – the method stays the same – just change the main ingredient!

Ingredients:

300g Carnaroli or Aborio rice

700g Green asparagus

salt and pepper to taste

1 lit vegetable stock (homemade or from a stock cube)

1 shallot finely chopped

3 tablespoons Terre Di San Vito’s Extra Virgin Olive Oil

125ml Terre Di San Vito’s white wine Apeneste

70g of butter

50g parmesan

Asparagus cream mixture

Preparing the asparagus:

Clean and trim the asparagus: Remove the hard/white part of the stalk.

In a pan of boiling, salted water, add all the asparagus.

Cook until tender but not mushy (6-8 min).

Remove from the water and cut the top 1/3 off the spears and set aside

Chop the rest of the stalks into small pieces and divide into two portions.

To make the asparagus cream mixture:

Place one half of the chopped stalks into a blender (or use a hand blender) and add approx. 250ml of the vegetable stock.

Blend together until smooth.

To make the risotto:

In a large heavy based pan, melt 40g of the butter and add the olive oil.

Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened and translucent.

Add the rice, allowing it to toast for a couple of minutes, ensuring that you stir the rice often. Use a wooden spoon.

When it starts turning opaque in colour and begins to crackle and hiss, pour in the white wine.

Allow the wine to evaporate and then stir in the remaining chopped, steamed asparagus, remember to keep the asparagus tips for the garnish.

Reduce the heat and add the asparagus cream (the blended asparagus and stock), stirring constantly.

When most of the liquid has been absorbed, add another ladleful of the hot stock and keep stirring until it has been absorbed.

Keep doing this until the rice feels tender on the outside but still has a ‘bite’ to it – known in Italy as ‘al dente’. This should take around 15 – 18 minutes.

Add the parmesan and remaining butter and mix thoroughly – and quickly so that the butter and cheese become creamy.

Add the remaining asparagus spears and give it a final stir.

Remove from the heat.

Taste and add salt and pepper if required (take care not to over salt this as the stock will contain salt if using a stock cube as will the parmesan).

To serve:

Serve immediately with an extra sprinkle of parmesan or a drizzle of our extra virgin olive oil!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

If you have any leftover risotto, don’t throw it away! It can be eaten cold or you can turn them into mini aranchini (deep fried rice balls) – a delicious recipe – I will post one soon!

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s white wine Apeneste

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

MAY Asparagus risotto

This is the season for green asparagus! At our farm in Puglia, at this time of year we are all busy picking the aspar...

Carciofi fritti

Fried Artichokes

This is a dish you absolutely must try! It is one of our ‘Top Five’ favourite vegetables! As you know, Puglian cuisine is famous for its use of fresh seasonal vegetables and this is the season for artichokes. The beautiful and tasty baby artichokes you find all around Italy are used in so many different ways (have you tried our stuffed artichoke recipe?).

These small spheres of crispy deliciousness are well worth the calories!

Not only are they delicious to eat, they have an incredible amount of health benefits for the body: It is a diuretic vegetable, has excellent nutritional value, aids digestion, strengthens the liver, the gall bladder, and reduces cholesterol levels.

This dish can be served as a starter, main course or on the side. But do not be fooled, it is so delicious; it will be the main attraction, hot or cold and gone in a flash!

Ingredients (adapt to fit amount of artichokes being used)

12 baby artichokes
10 eggs
10 tablespoons flour (any type)
2 lemons
100g parmesan cheese
100g pecorino cheese ( or 200g in total of Parmesan if Pecorino difficult to find)
Salt for seasoning
Sunflower oil for frying
Plastic bag for coating

TOP TIP:

Use gloves when cleaning the artichokes as when you begin to clean them, they will stain your fingers!

Preparing the artichokes:

Clean and wash the artichokes.

Prepare a large bowl with cold water, the lemons squeezed and put into the water and 2 tablespoons of flour. This will keep the artichokes from discolouring.

Remove the outer leaves (the hardest ones) and cut off the upper part (approx. 1/3 of the artichoke - the tops where it is a bit like thorns).

It looks like you are wasting a lot but this part of the vegetable is very hard and is not needed.

Cut the stem off and trim it to remove the outer stringy bits – just like you would clean celery and put into the bowl with the water.

Slice each artichoke from the base to the tip (you should get approx. 3 slices per artichoke) and immediately place into the bowl of water.

Preparing the batter:

In another bowl, prepare the batter by mixing the eggs, parmesan and pecorino together. You should have the consistency of a very thick batter.

Bringing the dish together:

Empty the bowl of water and rinse all the trimmed artichokes so that they are free of the flour/lemon water. Dry them on a kitchen towel/cloth.

Put the remainder of the flour into the plastic bag and add a handful of the artichokes. Shake the bag so that they are all lightly coated in the flour then one by one, remove excess flour and place them into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture.

Heat a large frying pan with sunflower oil (approx. 3cm oil)

Using a fork, turn each artichoke in the egg batter mixture so they are well coated.

Carefully place an artichoke into the hot oil and spoon extra mixture onto it. Do this until your pan is full but do not over-fill it.

Continue to place your floured and battered artichokes into the hot oil – making sure you add extra batter to each one.

After a minute or two, when golden, turn the artichokes.

When both sides are golden, remove and place on an absorbent kitchen towel.

When all the artichokes have been fried and drained, add a light sprinkling of salt – but not too much as the parmesan and pecorino are salty.

Then serve these delicious, golden nuggets of deliciousness – hot or cold to your family and friends.

Buon appetito!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rosé wine.

Top tips:

Wear gloves when cleaning the artichokes.
Use mini, baby artichokes, not the large globe artichoke as they do not have the fibrous ‘choke’ in the heart.
This dish can be eaten, hot or cold.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

APRIL Fried Artichokes

This is a dish you absolutely must try! It is one of our ‘Top Five’ favourite vegetables and are well worth the calor...

Michele’s Torta di Ricotta (Michele’s flourless ricotta cake)

Quick, easy and so very tasty! This almond and ricotta cake was one of our dad Michele’s favourite cakes. Italy is a major exporter of almonds and this is one of the very many recipes our family makes all year round but especially at easter.

With only a few ingredients and no need for a mixer, it’s one you can adapt for any time of the year. It is delicious with fresh fruit in a light syrup – typically figs. Traditionally, it is finished with icing sugar on the top but we have given it that little bit extra. It is a rich, moist, dense cake that explodes with almond and cinnamon. It is somewhere between a cake and a pudding! During baking it rises but after about 10min it does collapse making it dense but this is as it should be! Believe me, it is difficult to have only one slice!

Ingredients:

Butter for greasing
250g ricotta cheese
200g caster sugar
75g ground almonds
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Icing sugar for dusting

Alternative topping:

250g mascarpone cheese
Icing sugar (as much as you like for sweetness
2 tablespoons Amaretto di Sarono or 1 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced fresh fruit (kiwi, grapes or fresh figs)

Preparing the dish:

Preheat the oven to 180
Butter an 18cm cake tin and line with greasproof paper
Place the ricotta, ground almonds and sugar into a mixing bowl and mix well
Add the eggs, one at a time
Add the cinnamon and beat well
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden. Check the centre with a knife – it needs to come out clean
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 min then turn out to cool completely

To serve:

Dust with icing sugar or our alternative topping:

Mix the mascarpone with icing sugar (taste to your chosen level of sweetness) and the Amaretto or almond extract. Cover the cake with the topping then add the sliced fruit of your choice

Serve the cake with a glass of wine, a coffee or with any drink.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Keep the cake in an air tight container in the fridge. It will last a few days (if you can stop eating it!)
Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Primitivo sweet red wine.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

MARCH Flourless ricotta cake for Dad

Quick, easy and so very tasty! This almond and ricotta cake was one of our dad Michele’s favourite cakes. Italy is a ...

Parsley pesto

Puglia is known as the vegetable garden of Italy and on our organic land at Terre Di San Vito, vegetables of all kinds grow in abundance. From our ancestors, we have inherited the art of preserving vegetables, and enhancing their flavours with our incredible Apulian extra virgin olive oil.

When we talk about pesto, we immediately think of pesto alla Genovese (basil pesto). But the concept of pesto, in a broad sense, simply refers to a set of ingredients that have been crushed, presumably in a mortar, with the help of a pestle and is a recipe handed down since Roman times.

Having said that, it is clear that there is not only one type of pesto. By using your imagination, you can prepare different types of pesto depending on the season and what your taste buds are calling out for. Puglia has an encyclopaedia of recipes with herbs while maintaining the Italian gastronomic tradition of using the 6 key ingredients for pesto.

In Puglia and on the organic land of Terre Di San Vito farm, ingredients are not lacking. Apulian dried tomatoes, Apulian vegetables, our incredible Apulian almonds, and then of course we have our artichokes and olives – all "pestable" and finely workable ingredients for delicious, seasonal pestos.

This week on the farm, we are harvesting our wonderfully organic parsley. If you have some parsley in your garden or in a pot on your window ledge, use it to make this famous sauce which has more uses than you may think! (see serving tips below)

Ingredients

100g fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves

60g grated parmigiana reggiano or pecorino (or a mix of both)

50g pine nuts (or almonds or walnuts)

120ml Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Preparing the dish:

There are three possible methods for preparing this dish: Chopping by hand, using a pestle and mortar or using a blender – feel free to use the one that best suits you!

The original method: In a pestle and mortar

Put the garlic into a mortar and pound with the pestle until smooth.

Add the pine nuts and pound until they are roughly crushed.

Add the parsley and continue to pound and mash, bruising the leaves, until it starts to form a paste.

Turn the mixture into a bowl and stir through the grated Parmesan/Pecorino.

Slowly pour in some of the oil and mix to a thick paste.

Continue adding the extra virgin olive oil until mixture has loosened to a more juicy paste.

Taste the mixture and add seasoning if you feel it is required.

Do not add salt until you have finished mixing the paste as the parmesan and pecorino is salty.

Method 2: Using a blender

Put the garlic into the blender and pulse.

Add the pine nuts and pulse again until roughly chopped (be careful not to over-process).

Add the parsley and pulse carefully until it is well mixed but still very textured.

Turn into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan or Pecorino.

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil, mixing to a juicy paste.

Season to taste.

Method : Chopping by hand

On a chopping board, chop the parsley, pine nuts and garlic with a sharp knife or mezzaluna.

When chopped to a fine consistency, transfer to a mixing bowl.

Gently pour in the olive oil and mix to combine.

Add the Parmesan or pecorino.

To serve

This is an incredibly versatile dish. Try using your freshly made pesto in any of these ways – or please, email us with any dishes you have made with this recipe.

Mix with your favourite pasta

Roasted smashed potatoes with pesto coating - delish!

Mix with pasta, a tin of tuna and fresh tomatoes for a great salad

Spoon over any white, filleted fish. Place in the oven – delicious!

Use as a dip with crostini

Spoon over roasted veg

Smear into a ciabatta and place in the oven for an alternative to garlic bread

In a toasted mozzarella, pesto and tomato sandwhich

Stuff chicken breast with any flavour pesto and bake

As a topping on your favourite pizza

Add a spoonful into a veg soup – gives it a great lift!

Delicious spooned over a poached egg

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

You can substitute the parsley for: basil, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, olives or most fresh green herbs.

The pine nuts can be changed to almonds or walnuts.

Add the salt at the end as the parmesan and pecorino are salty cheeses

Increase the quantities and store in an airtight jar (ensure the mixture is covered with olive oil to help preserve it)

Serve our Pesto di prezzemolo Pugliese with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

FEBRUARY Parsley pesto

Puglia is known as the vegetable garden of Italy and on our organic land at Terre Di San Vito, vegetables of all kind...

Blood Orange Panna Cotta

Panna cotta all'arancia rossa

(Blood orange panna cotta)

Serves 8-10

This is our auntie Angela’s famous blood orange panna cotta. Originally this delicious desert came from the Piemonte region of Italy but it is a classic Italian dish and can be flavoured with just about anything – sweet or savoury – you can let your imagination go wild! The translation of the name is cooked (cotta) cream (panna) and the classic Italian panna cotta is usually flavoured just with vanilla and served with fresh summer fruits.

However, Zia Angela’s adaptation on the basic recipe using the incredibly tasty blood oranges that grow in abundance in the south of Italy and around our family farm, is the perfect marriage to the smooth cream. It is easy to make and tastes incredible!

We are proud to say that the Italians are Europe's number one consumers of fresh fruit.

Sicily being the national top producing region for blood oranges with around 54% of the total national production followed by Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia and Sardinia. The Arancia Rossa has a low sugar level and is rich in vitamins (C, B1, B2, A), great for the digestive and metabolic systems; its antioxidants (anthocyanins) help prevent infections and colds.

Zia Angela has blended the beautifully fragrant taste and colour of the blood oranges with the smooth cream of the panna cotta. In the South of Italy, you can find these incredible oranges from December to April. In Puglia, I can get this made for me all year round – with different toppings of course!

Ingredients:

237 ml blood orange Juice

Zest of 3 blood oranges

1 1/2 Tablespoons of powdered gelatine

600 ml double cream

500 ml whole milk

100g sugar

1 Teaspoon orange extract

Blood orange syrup:

675 ml fresh blood orange Juice

128g sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons grated blood orange peel

Preparing the panna cotta:

Place the orange juice in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over the top.

Stir to mix and set aside to soften for 2 to 3 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar and blood orange zest, and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.

Remove from heat, and whisk in the softened gelatine and the orange extract.

Set the saucepan in a bowl of ice and whisk until the mixture is at room temperature.

If you would like, strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout – we like it with the zest!

Place the bowl with the mixture in the ice bath and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Pour the mixture into your individual glasses and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

To make the syrup:

Stir together the syrup ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Increase the heat to high, and boil until the syrup has reduced to about half, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.

Refrigerate until cold.

Pour into the glass with the panna cotta and let it set in the fridge for a few hours. If you want this as more of a jelly, add a teaspoon of gelatine to the mixture while it is warm then it will set while in the fridge.

To serve:

Add a couple of blood orange segments on the top too – if you like.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Take out your panna cotta about an hour before serving so they reach room temperature.

You can add the sauce to the bottom of a ramekin or small dish, then add the panna cotta mixture on top. This will need to be refrigerated for 6 hours. Turn out onto a plate and serve with some orange segments and a biscuit on the side.

Add Aperol or red wine or your favourite tipple for an adult variation – you will need to add some gelatine to the syrup mixture so that the alcohol sets.
Cheats way: instead of making the syrup, use your favourite jelly – instead of adding water, add the blood orange juice – delicious!

A calendar of dishes from Puglia

JANUARY Blood Orange Panna Cotta

This is our auntie Angela’s famous blood orange panna cotta. Originally this delicious desert came from the Piemonte ...

Almond biscuits from Puglia.

Makes approx. 30

These biscuits are a real family favourite – here in the UK and in Italy! They are known as a Christmas and Easter treat but are eaten all year round! 90% of the almond orchards in Italy are found in Apulia and Sicily so it’s no wonder we have the most incredible almond recipes and this is one of the best and easiest!

At this time of the year people start preparing the dolcetti (the small biscuits), for the holiday season. My auntie Silvia makes the best ones and I bring back kilos of them for our family! These delicious little cakes are slightly crisp and cracked on the outside with a soft inside.
This recipe is very quick and simple; you only need to be careful while baking, but follow our instructions and the result will be spectacular.

Ingredients:

230 grams ground almonds

140 grams caster sugar

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup icing sugar onto a flat plate

coffee beans, candied fruits and almonds - for your toppings

Preparing the dish:

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees

Mix together the ground almonds and caster sugar and set aside.

Beat the egg whites and almond extract until soft peaks are formed.

Fold together the beaten egg whites into dry ingredients until a crumbly dough forms. If a little dry, add another egg white.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take a teaspoon of the dough and using your fingers gently roll into a ball and place onto the plate with the icing sugar. Do this until about 1/2 the dough has been rolled.

Roll each ball into the icing sugar then place onto your baking tray. When all the dough has been rolled into balls and coated in the icing sugar, place them a couple of inches apart on the tray.

Gently press your almonds, coffee beans or cherry gently into the top of the biscuit.

Bake at 175° for about 12 - 15 minutes or until they are lightly gold on the top and have slightly cracked but not burnt or brown.

Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To serve:

Serve the biscuits with a glass of wine, a coffee or with any drink. They also make an excellent gift!

Buona Pasqua, Buon Natale and buon appetito!

Top tip:

Keep them in an air tight container and they will last a couple of weeks (if you can keep away from them!)

Do not let them get too dark or they will be dry inside

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

Easter Almond biscuits (DOLCETTI DI MANDORLE)

These biscuits are a real family favourite – here in the UK and in Italy! They are known as a Christmas and Easter tr...

Easter Dove Cake

You know it’s almost Easter in Italy when every grocery shop you go to is filled with every type of Colomba, almond cakes and chocolate eggs.

La Colomba is a delicious sweet bread made with yeast. In English Colomba means Dove which is the symbol of peace – especially significant at Easter. While Pandoro or Panettone are the traditional sweet breads for an Italian Christmas, Colomba is the traditional bread for Easter.

The Easter Colomba, can be made with your favourite fillings, such as chocolate chips, candied fruit, raisins or even plain. The Perfect Italian Easter recipe for breakfast, brunch or even dessert. Our recipe is the traditional one with candied orange.

To make the Classic Colomba you have to start with a starter dough. This is a yeast dough that is not as complicated as it looks, you just need patience and time, so give it a try!

Ingredients:

For the sponge:
24g fresh yeast or 6g fast action
100g warm water
3 egg yolks
15g sugar
70g strong white flour

For the first dough:
6g fresh yeast or ½ tsp fast action
75g warm water
45g butter, softened
210g strong white flour

For the final dough:
145g sugar
15g honey
3 egg yolks
zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp Amaretto di Saronno almond liqueur/almond essence or orange liqueur
115g butter, softened
250g strong white flour
5g sea salt
150g chopped mixed peel

For the glaze:
1 egg white
25g sugar
25g ground almonds
50g flaked almonds
3 tbsp coarse crystal or pearl sugar

Preparing the cake:

First make the sponge: whisk the yeast into the warm water, mix in the egg yolks and sugar, and stir this into the flour until well combined.

Leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Mix the second quantity of yeast into water, then mix it into the sponge.

Beat in the butter and the 210g flour. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in volume, for about 1 hour.

Stir in the sugar, honey, egg yolks, Almond liqueur/almond essence or orange essence, orange zest and the butter into the first dough. (We use the Amaretto Di Saronno almond liqueur).

Add the flour and salt and knead or mix in a standing mixer with a dough hook attachment for at least 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy and bounces off the sides of the bowl or stops sticking to your fingers.

Place it in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until tripled in volume – for 3-4 hours.

Tip the risen dough onto a work surface and sprinkle with chopped peel (and raisins, if using).

Knead the fruit in well, folding the dough onto itself, until the fruit is well distributed.

Divide the dough in half and on a floured surface, roll one piece into a log about 25cm long and the other cut into 2 10cm long pieces.

Butter thoroughly the paper colomba case if using.

Place the longer piece in the case head to tail, and place the shorter pieces either side.
Cover the case with a plastic wrap and leave to prove until the dough comes up almost to the rim of the case, 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Make the glaze: mix the egg white with the ground almonds and sugar into a paste. Spread over the risen dough and sprinkle with flaked almonds and coarse or pearl sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes.
Halfway through the time you can cover the head and tail parts loosely with two pieces of foil to stop them from burning.

. When cooked through and golden remove from the oven.

Cool on a wire rack.

To serve:
Slice and eat with your favourite sweet wine or for breakfast. Dip into your coffee or spread your favourite topping such as fresh fruit compote, chocolate spread or with your yoghurt. It is also delicious toasted and topped with honey, butter or cream!
Buona Pasqua e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Candied fruit are available from Italian food shops and local supermarkets.
The baked cooled bread should be stored in an airtight plastic bag, and kept at room temperature, it will keep for up to 3-4 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for two months in the freezer.
If there is a chance you have any left over or did not store it correctly, if dried out, it can be sliced and toasted – delicious with butter! Or it can be used to make the base for other dishes such as French toast or bread and butter pudding!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

EASTER CAKE (COLOMBA DI PASQUA)

You know it’s almost Easter in Italy when every grocery shop you go to is filled with every type of Colomba, almond c...

Baked Ricotta cheesecake

serves 12

Our family do many things well, and one of them is knowing how to celebrate and to cook! The Italians have so many traditional recipes that form the main staple of their weekly menu and because of the rich and bountiful produce throughout the country they are still able to have special, holiday celebration recipes and this Easter holiday summon for us, memories of lengthy, happy family meals where the whole family would get together, eat, drink and play cards!

Easter day, which commemorates the Resurrection of Christ, is an example of this. On Easter Sunday, the people of Puglia go to church to participate in Easter Mass and at noon, continue their celebration with an abundant typical Pugliese lunch, usually with roast lamb (in our calendar of recipes)which is then completed with a delicious cheesecake. This is our family’s variation of the more well-known Pastiera Napoletana.

In Italy, for many it’s all about the Pastiera Napoletana - an unusual, cheesecake made with candid fruit and or chocolate. Our family recipe is a much easier version and is the one most households in Bari follow.

Some people believe that pastiera was born when the ancient goddess Partenope emerged from the waters of the Gulf of Naples, enchanting the people with her songs. To thank her, the people of Naples gifted her with the most precious products of their land: flour, ricotta, eggs, wheat, orange and sugar and when the goddess returned to the sea, she offered the gifts to the gods, who then did what any of us would do, and made a cake out of them!

The modern version of pastiera was probably, most agree, invented in a Neapolitan convent and while the cake is certainly beloved for its deep, rich flavour, it’s also highly prized for its symbolic value. The main ingredients being ricotta, eggs, lemons and oranges are staples of Neapolitan cooking, where the eggs symbolise the new life we celebrate at Easter.

Ingredients:

For the sweet shortcrust pastry:

Buy ready-made or:

This makes a large, 32cm flan or two 24cm

Use a loose bottom flan tin if possible

500g plain flour (or ‘00’ flour if you can get it)

200g unsalted butter (not spread substitute)

200g sugar

2 eggs

For the filling:

1 kg ricotta cheese

400g sugar

2 sachets vanilla powder or the seeds from 2 vanilla pods or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200g finely chopped chocolate (70% coco) and or finely chopped candied fruit

(Our auntie Lucia changes the contents depending on who is coming for lunch! Use either: chocolate, fruit or a combination – completely up to you!)

Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

8 eggs

To make the pastry:

Put the flour and unsalted butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

Mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt

Add one egg at a time, mixing well but not over mixing as the pastry will become tough

If it is dry, add a tablespoon of water

Form into a ball and cut off approx. 1/4 (this is for the decoration on top of the cake)

No need to refrigerate this unless it is an exceptionally hot day!

To make the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients apart from the eggs

Add one egg at a time and mix each one well before adding the next

Preparing the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC.

Grease your chosen loose bottom (if possible)flan tin

Roll out 3/4 of the pastry and place in the tin.

Ensure the pastry covers the inside of the flan tin (just as if you were making a tart)

Cut off any overhanging pastry

Add the ricotta cheese and candied fruit mixture

Then roll out the pastry you set aside for the topping

With a pastry wheel (a crimper, the one that makes ruffled edges is best), cut 7 long strips about 2 cm wide.

Now add your lattice top; it’s really important that the criss-cross of your lattice creates a diamond shape, not a square – it just won’t look right! There should be 4 strips on the bottom and 3 overlapping the top - a tradition!

Press the lattice strips to the edge of the pastry very gently; they will be floating delicately on top of the filling at this stage.

You can brush the lattice gently with some beaten egg to make it shiny.

Bake for 50–60 minutes.

You are looking for perfectly done, crisp pastry and a beautiful amber-brown top.

Allow to cool completely inside the flan tin and, ideally, leave it to cool and rest overnight.

The ricotta mixture may be a little wobbly but this will set when cool.

To serve:

Before serving, sift the icing sugar over the top

Some people prefer the lattice top to be more evident so omit the icing sugar.

Once cooked, the pastiera can be stored in the fridge for 4–5 days – if the entire household doesn’t eat it all well before that!

Buona Pasqua e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Candied fruit are available from Italian food shops and local supermarkets.

Fresh ricotta is wonderful but not necessary for this recipe.

Adapt the filling to suit your palate: chocolate and or candied fruit – all are delicious!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

Baked Ricotta Easter Cake (Pastiera di ricotta)

Our family do many things well, and one of them is knowing how to celebrate and to cook! The Italians have so many tr...

Lentils and pork sausage

serves 4-6

Many years ago, our cousin Cecco invited me to a New Year’s Eve party in Bari. Known as the Vigilia or Capodanno. It had been many many years since I had been there at that time of year and so off I went! The party was in an old ‘Palazzo’ overlooking Lungomare in Bari and the beautifully glistening Adriatic. Music was playing, people were dancing and it felt like a scene from a Grace Kelly film! I had no idea of the tradition of the cenone (big feast)! This enormous meal features several courses – well – would you expect anything less from the southern Italians?

The foods served were symbolic of wishes for the coming year and were accompanied by plenty of festive drinks like Prosecco or spumante (sparkling wine). Pork is considered a lucky New Year's food because it's so fatty and rich and the lentils represent coins for prosperity. The most traditional of the dishes at the New Year's party was the lentils with pork sausage. Tradition has it that eating a portion of cotechino with lentils before midnight is a good omen for the new year. It is supposed to bring good luck and wealth.

As is typical for the south of Italy, Cotechino was born as a poor dish that the farmers usually ate with vegetable soups and minestrone. The Cotechino is pre-cooked and packed in aluminium foil, so it simply needs to be reheat for 45 minutes and then serve with lentils. Once cooked, my cousin loves it fried so the outside is crispy!
This is the traditional dish to serve on New Year’s Eve, along with lentils.

Ingredients:

500g Cotechino

(can use fresh, large butchers sausages if unable to find the Cotechino)

400g Brown/green lentils

10 fresh cherry tomatoes

3 cloves of garlic

1 stick of celery, cleaned and chopped into 1cm pieces

Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the lentils:

Add the lentils to a saucepan.

Add enough cold water to just cover the lentils.

Add the fresh tomatoes, 3 garlic cloves, a tablespoon of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil, the chopped and cleaned celery stalk

Bring the lentils to the boil and cook for approx. 2 hours

Halfway through the cooking of the lentils, add a large pinch of salt

The lentils are ready when they are soft to the bite.

Keep an eye on the lentils so they do not run dry – add a little water if required

Preparing the Cotechino:

In a large saucepan of water, boil the Cotechino until cooked (approx. 30min)

Follow the instructions on the packet as different makes will have slightly different cooking times

When cooked, carefully remove from the foil packaging and slice into 1cm rounds.

In a heavy bottomed pan or griddle, put the slices of sausage for a couple of minutes each side so they are slightly crispy and golden – it adds an extra layer of flavour.

Putting the dish together:

This is a celebratory dish and should be displayed showing the abundance of the produce

On a large serving dish, place the lentils

On top of the lentils, add the slices of Cotechino

To serve:

Bring the dish straight to the table and serve!

From our family to yours, we wish you a happy new year:felice anno nuovo e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Sparkling Brut white wine

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

NEW YEARS EVE: Lentils and pork sausage (Cotechino e lenticchie)

Many years ago, our cousin Cecco invited me to a New Year’s Eve party in Bari. Known as the Vigilia or Capodanno. It ...

Spaghetti alla San Giovannello

Spaghetti with Tuna and capers

(Spaghetti with tuna alla San Giovannello) Serves 6

A tasty and quick traditional dish from Puglia. It was designed to celebrate San Giovanni (on June 24th) but is one that our family regularly make throughout the year and especially on Christmas eve as part of the ‘cena della Vigilia’ the fish feast still observed in southern Italy and Sicily but varies from area to area. It requires only a few ingredients and as these products are usually easily available in every southern Italian kitchen – it is a great ‘go to’ recipe.

This has of course been adapted from the original recipe. Our uncle Franco loves to add a sprinkle of chilli flakes – feel free to revert to the original recipe with anchovies and black olives.

Ingredients:

500g spaghetti

12 cherry tomatoes cut in half

500g tinned tuna in oil

2 teaspoons capers

1 600g jar passata

4 whole cloves of garlic

Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparing the sauce:

In large a frying pan, fry the whole cloves of garlic until lightly golden (do not let them burn or they will be bitter)

Add the fresh cherry tomatoes and capers and cook for about 5 min

Add the jar of passata and a pinch of pepper (do not add salt at this time as the capers are salty)

Add a little water to the jar of passata – swirl it around and add it to the sauce

Let the sauce cook on a low light for 50min to 1 hour, stirring occasionally

Add the tinned tuna

At this point, add a pinch of salt and pepper and taste it!

Let this simmer for 20min while you cook the spaghetti

Preparing the spaghetti:

In a large saucepan, add approx. 2 litres of water, large pinch of salt and bring to the boil

Add the spaghetti and cook as directed on the packet (do not overcook the spaghetti – better under than over. Ideally you want it ‘al dente’ to the bite as it will continue to cook in the sauce!)

To serve:

Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it well and add it to the pan with the sauce

Give it all a good mix and let it sauté in the pan for a couple of minutes with the other ingredients so the flavours can combine

Feel free to remove the large cloves of garlic before serving!

Take it to the table and serve!

We wish you a buon Natale e buon appetito!

Top tip:

It is advisable to consume the spaghetti freshly prepared. However, the sauce can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge in an airtight container for a day.

The original recipe is as above but instead of tuna it contains olives and anchovies – feel free to give it a try!

If you want to make spaghetti alla San Giovannello even more crunchy, you can add fried breadcrumbs – sprinkled over the top.

Feel free to try your favourite pasta instead of spaghetti.

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Il Vescovo award winning red wine

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

Christmas Eve - Spaghetti with Tuna and capers (Spaghetti Alla San Giovannello)

(Spaghetti with tuna alla San Giovannello) Serves 6 A tasty and quick traditional dish from Puglia. It was designed t...

Pasta al forno alla Pugliese

Baked pasta from Puglia

serves 6

Our family’s number one dish! Another recipe that is made all year round and is a classic on a Sunday – especially in the south of Italy where they maintain many more traditions than the rest of the country. It is a dish that we eat at the family table and one that has been packed away and taken on picnics and day outs to the beach! It always draws a crowd and is a recipe that takes time but is one of the most prepared and appreciated dishes in Puglia – second only to a parmigiana or a lasagne!

Typically, this is cooked in a large terracotta pot and where possible, in a pizza oven. Many years ago, the nonnas or mammas cooking the dish would take their partially cooked dish to the local baker or communal oven. Stories have been told of the ladies in a procession to and from the ovens! Finishing it off in these ovens, makes the Pasta al Forno taste even richer – if that is at all possible! It is the crust that forms on the top with the cheese. It is best when the top burns slightly and the pasta sticking out becomes crisp, mixed with the succulence of the sauce inside, makes this dish truly unforgettable.

As with all traditional Italian dishes, there are of course regional variations and you will probably make your own tweaks! But with this recipe, you cannot go wrong. This recipe has been handed down from our nonna Elena, everyone still follows the recipe and our dad Michele taught us to make it – now it is your turn– provaci!

Ingredients:

500 g Rigatoni or Paccheri

300 g of mozzarella cheese (chopped into 1cm cubes)

200 g of grated Parmesan cheese (300g in total)

150g Mortadella sliced or chopped (optional)

For the tomato sauce:

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 Jars passata

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs

(follow pasta and meatball recipe)

500g minced meat (equal amounts of pork, veal and beef or any combination)

100g grated parmesan or romano cheese

Handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 slices white bread or 50g breadcrumbs

1 glass milk

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Preparing the tomato sauce:

1 lit tomato sauce (follow Parmigiana or meatball sauce recipes)

or

Make a sauté with the finely chopped small onion and garlic

Add 1 lit tomato passata, fill the empty jars with a little water – swirl them around to gather the remaining sauce and pour into the other jar then empty into the saucepan

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes. Ready to add the meatballs.

Preparing the meatballs:

Follow meatball sauce recipe

or

In a small bowl, place the white bread / breadcrumbs and enough milk to cover. Leave the bread to absorb the milk.

In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, parmesan/romano and a beaten egg.

Remove the bread/breadcrumbs from the milk and lightly squeeze it to remove the excess liquid (this will make your meatballs light and fluffy) and add it to the meat mixture.

With your freshly washed hands, blend all the ingredients together.

This is where you will need to decide on the size of your meatballs. For this recipe, the smaller the meatballs the better! Approx. 1 teaspoon of meat (a lot of work but kids love the little ones!).

This will require a bit of time but you will have a lot of meatballs!

Form your meatballs and place them on a tray/plate.

When you have done this, have a sip of wine! Then remove the lid off the sauce, carefully drop each ball in to the sauce – be careful not to drop them from a height!

Bring the heat up slightly so that they simmer in the sauce but do not let it boil.

The meatballs need to cook for about 30 minutes. Have a quick taste to see if you need to add any more salt and pepper.

Prepare the pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.

I cannot emphasise the importance of sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined.

Look at the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta and take off 3 minutes. This is because the pasta will have a second cooking session once put into the oven so you don’t want to over-cook it or it will turn to mush!

Once partially cooked, drain the pasta water. You will need to use the saucepan for mixing so don’t wash the pan up just yet – but do throw away the water!

Putting the dish together:

Preheat your oven to 180
In the large empty saucepan where you cooked the pasta, put your drained pasta and add approx 5 ladles of the incredible sauce – try not to add the meatballs yet.

Mix together well and add a handful of the grated parmesan.

Ladle the sauce coated pasta into the bottom of your baking dish

Now add a layer of the mini meatballs

A couple of ladles of the sauce

Cover with a handful of the chopped mozzarella and a sprinkle of the parmesan

Repeat the layer:

Pasta, meatballs, sauce, mozzarella, parmesan

Top the dish with a final couple of ladles of the sauce and a good covering of parmesan

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 60-90 minutes – until the top is crispy and any pasta sticking out is slightly charred and crispy – everyone in my family always target the crispy bits first!

To serve:

Bring the dish straight to the table and serve!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Don’t be scared to let the top burn – it makes the dish even more tasty!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Cantiniere Primitivo red wine.

TRADITIONAL HOLIDAY RECIPES

Sunday - Baked pasta (Pasta Al Forno)

Our family’s number one dish! Another recipe that is made all year round and is a classic on a Sunday – especially in...

Introduction

Every year on April 17th, wine enthusiasts around the globe raise a glass to celebrate Malbec Day—a tribute to one of the world's most beloved grape varieties. While Malbec is often associated with regions like Argentina and France, at Terre di San Vito, we've embraced this versatile grape, crafting a uniquely Puglian interpretation that reflects the rich terroir of southern Italy.

Join us as we explore our Malbec offerings and invite you to celebrate Malbec Day the Italian way with a glass of Tinto, our exceptional 100% Malbec wine. Salute!

The Story of Malbec in Puglia

Malbec’s journey began in France, where it was traditionally used as a blending grape. It rose to international acclaim in Argentina, celebrated for its deep colour, bold flavours, and velvety texture.

In Puglia, the warm climate and mineral-rich soils offer ideal growing conditions for Malbec, and we’re proud to be one of the only producers in the region to create a 100% Malbec wine. At Terre di San Vito, our Malbec grapes are cultivated organically and crafted with care, resulting in wines that are intensely aromatic, well-structured, and unmistakably Italian.

Explore the Malbec Collection at Terre di San Vito

We’ve taken the Malbec grape and created a whole family of beautifully crafted products—each one telling its own story of flavour, craftsmanship, and provenance.

🍷 Tinto – 100% Organic Malbec

Tinto is our 100% organic Malbec wine, made from grapes harvested and bottled on our family estate. It offers velvety texture, violet hues, and a rich aroma that lingers on the palate. We’re proud to be the only estate in Puglia producing a 100% Malbec wine—a bold, confident expression of our winemaking style.

🍷 Il Vescovo – Malbec & Cabernet Sauvignon

Our flagship award-winning red, Il Vescovo is a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes, offering a full-bodied, complex wine with a smooth, elegant finish. The wine won 2 stars of excellence at the 2015 Bellavita Awards in London. Its name, meaning “The Bishop”, comes from a family tale about a visiting bishop who adored this very wine.

🍷 Il Vescovo Black Label (2014) – Limited Edition Red

This limited-edition vintage is an exclusive blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, and Carménère (IGT) grapes. Rich, smooth, and deeply expressive, the Black Label is a generously balanced, full-bodied red for true wine lovers. It’s the ideal bottle for gifting—or for enjoying on a truly special occasion.

🌸 Mosi Rosé – Malbec & Bombino Nero

Mosi is our beautifully balanced rosé wine, blending Malbec and Bombino Nero grapes. It’s known for its intense aroma and refreshing, soft taste, making it the perfect springtime sip. Elegant and light, it’s a lovely contrast to the fuller reds in our Malbec range.

🍇 Malbec Grape Conserve

This traditional jam is made using the same Malbec grapes that go into our wines, offering a deeply fruity flavour that pairs beautifully with cheeses, pastries or breakfast breads. It’s a classic example of how we use our grapes in every way possible—with nothing wasted and everything crafted with care.

🥨 Malbec Taralli

These iconic Puglian snacks are made with our very own Tinto Malbec wine, giving them a distinct and delicate richness. Taralli are perfect served with aperitivo or alongside a glass of Malbec—making them a thoughtful add-on for a wine and snack gift.

Pairing Malbec with Authentic Puglian Flavours

Pairing wine with food is one of life’s simple pleasures—and our Malbec wines are no exception. Here are two authentic Puglian recipes from our site that pair perfectly with our Malbec wines:

🍝 Il Vescovo & Pasta e Salsa di Polpette

The bold depth of Il Vescovo is the perfect match for this classic meatball and tomato sauce pasta. The richness of the wine enhances the savoury flavours of the meat and herbs, creating a balanced and warming meal ideal for sharing.

🥦 Tinto & Orecchiette with Broccoli and Crispy Bacon

The orecchiette with broccoli and crispy bacon offers a wonderful contrast with the soft, velvety body of Tinto. The wine’s boldness pairs beautifully with the saltiness of the bacon and earthiness of the broccoli—bringing comfort and sophistication to any spring supper.

How to Celebrate Malbec Day – The Italian Way

Malbec Day is more than just a celebration of the grape—it’s a chance to embrace the culture, joy, and generosity of Italian food and wine traditions. Here are some ways to mark the occasion:

🕯️ Host a Puglian Dinner Party

Create a rustic table, cook up a few authentic dishes, and pour a bottle of Tinto or Il Vescovo. Add fresh bread, good olive oil, and you’ve got a celebration worthy of southern Italy.

🧀 Build a Malbec-Inspired Gift Box

Pair a bottle of wine with our Malbec Taralli and Grape Conserve for the ultimate Italian hamper. It makes a thoughtful gift for foodies or wine lovers.

🍷 Share a Bottle of Tinto

Raise a glass of Tinto with friends or family and toast to Malbec Day, Puglian tradition, and the good things in life. Because every day is better when it ends with a glass of wine.

Conclusion

As Malbec Day approaches, now is the perfect time to explore our Puglian collection of Malbec wines and artisan products:

🛒 Shop Tinto – 100% Malbec
🛒 Explore Il Vescovo Black Label (2014)
🛒 Try Mosi Rosé
🛒 Add Malbec Grape Conserve
🛒 Snack on Malbec Taralli

Celebrate Malbec Day the Terre di San Vito way—with great food, elegant wine, and people you love around the table. Salute!

ANTIPASTI

Malbec, Made in Puglia: Celebrate Malbec Day with Our Bold Italian Twist

Introduction Every year on April 17th, wine enthusiasts around the globe raise a glass to celebrate Malbec Day—a tr...

Potato pie

Pizza di patate

Serves 6

The Pizza di Patate is a typically comforting, rustic ‘cucina povera’ recipe that originates in Puglia. In some regions it is known as a potato cake or potato flan but recipes vary from house to house.

Our family favourite is our Zia Silvia’s recipe which she prepares with a mixture of simple ingredients such as potatoes, grated cheese and mortadella or ham (this can be omitted). She adds a sprinkle of breadcrumbs over the top and then pops it straight into the oven.

Pizza di patate can be served hot, lukewarm or cold as a first course, appetizer or side dish.

Ingredients

1.2 kg potatoes
Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil or 50g butter
fine salt to taste
2 eggs
1 glass of milk (if necessary)
150g grated parmesan cheese
150 g mortadella (or cooked ham)chopped or sliced
150 g mozzarella (or scamorza) chopped into 1cm pieces
100g breadcrumbs

Pepper to taste

Preparing the dish:

Wash and boil the potatoes in salted water until cooked through (in their skins)

Drain them and let them cool.

Once cooled, peel the skins then cut them into pieces.
Either mash the potatoes or pass them through a potato ricer.
Beat the eggs, add a pinch of salt, a sprinkling of ground black pepper and add 3/4 of the grated Parmesan cheese.
Now prepare the potato pizza.

In a large mixing bowl, add the beaten eggs, chopped mozzarella (or scamorza) and the mashed/riced potatoes.

Mix everything well, until the mixture is light and fluffy.

The potato pizza mixture should be creamy but not liquid. If the mixture is too stiff, add a little milk.

You are looking for a smooth mashed potato consistency.
Lightly oil the base of your baking tray.

Sprinkle a handful of breadcrumbs onto the oil

Empty half of the mixture into the baking dish.

Sprinkle the mortadella/ham on top of this layer of potato.

Top this with the remaining potato mixture.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese then sprinkle over the top of the pie.

A final drizzle of extra virgin olive oil over the top of the pie then place in a preheated oven at 180 ° C for 30 minutes until the surface is crisp and golden.

At the end of cooking, turn off the oven and turn on the grill for a few minutes if you like a more toasted surface.

To serve

Remove the pizza from the oven and let it cool for at least 10-15 minutes, then cut it into portions and serve still warm.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Do not add the mortadella or ham for a vegetarian option

Use vegetarian parmesan for a vegetarian

Keep this in the fridge for up to 3 days

Can be served cold or reheated

Serve our Pizza di patate with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

ANTIPASTI

Potato pie (Pizza di patate)

The Pizza di Patate is a typically comforting, rustic ‘cucina povera’ recipe that originates in Puglia. In some regio...

ANTIPASTI

Tomatoes on crunchy bread (Friselle)

This is one of those dishes known as ‘cucina povera’. It was a way ‘poor’ people could eat and fill the gap. Our gran...

Focaccia alla Barese

Focaccia bread with tomatoes and olives from Bari

The focaccia from Bari is incredible! The smell, the taste, the look – words fail me! Focaccia, like everything else in Italy has its regional variations. Even in Bari, there is focaccia made with and without potato mixed in with the dough – you will have to try them all at some point and this is a great place to start.

The Focaccia Barese is unparalleled goodness! It is sold on every corner of the Apulian cities and is consumed at any time of day, from a snack on the street, to dinner with the family, from a picnic out of town to a snack at school! It is crunchy on the outside, soft a fluffy on the inside.

The last time I went to Bari, my brother and sisters begged me to bring some back so, on the morning of departure, off I went with uncle Franco to place on the seafront in Torre a Mare – overlooking the sea – called Panificio Montecristo. it is an incredible experience! You can smell the focaccia cooking from a mile away! I bought 8kg of focaccia, it was steaming hot. We drove to the airport and the aromas in the car were heavenly! I then had to put them in the case so I could check everything through. While walking through the airport – the aromas coming from the suitcase had heads turning and I’m sure stomachs rumbling!

Our auntie Silva is a genius at making this and this is her recipe. So if you can’t get to Montecristo, you must try this recipe.

Ingredients

For the dough

200 g of flour '0

200 g re-milled durum wheat semolina

100 g of Manitoba flour (which you can replace with 0 flour but I recommend you use for maximum softness)

300 g water at room temperature

150 g boiled, cooled, mashed potatoes

15 g of salt

2 and a half tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons of dry dehydrated brewer 's yeast (4 g)

(alternatively 10 g of fresh brewer's yeast)

For the topping

500 gr of cherry tomatoes cut in half. Just before adding them to the topping, mix them with the extra virgin olive oil, salt and oregano.

15 - 20 black olives (remove pips if possible)

extra virgin olive oil

salt

dried oregano

You will need approx 40 cm pan or two 30cm pans

Preparing the dough

In a large bowl, mix all the flours together.

Set aside 95 g from the total and place in a bowl and add to the yeast and 100 g of water.

Stir it together until it forms a soft leaven.

Cover with cling film and let it rise at around 26 ° (close to the oven is best) for about 2 hours or until it doubles in volume and is filled with bubbles.

You can proceed either by hand, combining all the ingredients in a bowl or with a mixer. Auntie Silvia always does this by hand but then that’s the way she was taught. Ahh.

Now combine the cold potato puree and flour set aside into the raised dough.

Mix with your hands or with the whisk. The dough is soft, so it should easily mix. Keep going until the liquid is completely absorbed and the dough has taken its shape.

Begin adding the oil little by little, spoon by spoon.

When all the ingredients have been mixed together well, add the salt.

The dough must be quite stringy, but it should still be soft.

Don’t overwork it as you don’t want it to be hard or too compact!

When the dough is ready pour it on to a cold work surface dusted with Manitoba flour.

Sprinkle some of the flour on to your hands.

Bring the dough over so you are folding it twice so it is like an envelope or wallet.

With your hands still dusted with flour, give the dough two more folds.

The dough at this point should have begun to take shape.

Give the dough another two folds then with your hands of flour, turn it, make it into a smooth ball and put it in a bowl

Cover with cling film and let it rise (near a warm oven) until the dough of the focaccia triples in volume (about 3 hours)

Rolling out the focaccia

Grease your hands with a little oil and the pan/s.

Take the dough into your hands with the olive oil, wrap your hands around the dough so that it is all coated.

Spread the dough into the lightly oiled pan/s tapping with your fingertips, spreading the dough well.

Add the focaccia topping

Sink the cherry tomatoes halfway into the semi-leavened dough, alternating with some black olives.

Cover the top of the focaccia with the tomatoes and olives and add the cherry tomato juice to give it extra flavour.

Drizzle over the top some of the extra virgin olive oil.

Sprinkle with oregano and a pinch of salt.

Let it rise for at least 1 hour and a half until the focaccia has doubled in volume

Cooking your focaccia

Using either a static or conventional oven – even better if you have a pizza oven in your garden! Heat it to 200 °.

Place the pan/s with the focaccia on the bottom of the oven in contact with the base (if you want a nice crunchy edge) and cook for about 12 minutes. If the pan is small, 15 minutes.

After 12 minutes, transfer the focaccia to the medium-high part of the oven and immediately activate the grill, let it cook for another 6-7 minutes if the pan is small, or another 10-12 minutes if it is large.

Always do the necessary test: open the oven, if you can lift the crunchy edges with a toothpick – it’s ready!

Remove the Focaccia and let it cool for 5 minutes! Delicious hot or cold! Our focaccia never gets cold – it is gone in an instant!

Storing your focaccia (if you have any left!)

About an hour after cooking, seal it perfectly in greaseproof paper and clingfilm. This will keep it soft for up to 3 days at room temperature!

To serve

What can I say here – serve it in small squares for a starter, with your apperitivo or take a slice of mortadella, lay it on top of a slice of focaccia and enjoy!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Cut this into small chunks (which it is best to do alone as once cooked, it is so delicious, it will be gone before it reaches the plate!) it is wonderful as part of your aperitivo.

With your burrata.

With a slice of your favourite salami, prosciutto or my brother’s favourite – mortadella, over the top!

On the beach, at home or in a restaurant – a great alternative to bread and so much more deliziosa!

Serve our Focaccia alla Barese

with an ice cold Peroni or with a glass of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

ANTIPASTI

Focaccia with tomatoes and olives (Focaccia alla Barese)

The focaccia from Bari is incredible! The smell, the taste, the look – words fail me! Focaccia, like everything else ...

Gratin Baked Peppers

Serves 4

The delicious aromas will overwhelm you. Dad’s traditional Peperoni al forno can be eaten as a starter or side dish. Incredible with fish or meat. It is rich in vitamins and minerals and is one of the most typical of Apulian delights.

The smell of the peppers roasting will make your stomach rumble. When our dad Michele would make this dish, it would fill the house with such incredible aromas. It is quick and easy but the flavour that comes from these few ingredients is incredible! In Puglia, as well as the wine and olives, we are well known for our love of vegetables. They grow in abundance here and our family makes the most of this.

Quite simply, the peppers are roasted in the oven, peeled and cut into fillets. A very simple traditional dish, drawn directly from the ‘poor people’s’ recipes which is how the people from Puglia were regarded (many years ago). As soon as the peppers would be placed on the table, my brother and sisters would have our crusty bread ready. The bread would be used as an edible tool: Dip the bread into the sauce, add a slither of the pepper then pop it into your mouth – delicious!

Ingredients:

4 peppers (yellow and red)

1 clove of garlic, sliced

6 cherry tomatoes (optional)

2tbsps capers

4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

8tbsps fresh breadcrumbs

2tbsp parsley

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Preparing the dish:

Wash the peppers.

Cut them into halves, remove the stalks and seeds and place them in an oven dish (with the tomatoes).

Preheat the oven to 200.

In a bowl, mix together the: breadcrumbs, chopped parsley, garlic, grated cheese and capers.

Salt and pepper the peppers then add the breadcrumb mix over the peppers. Try to cover all the peppers.

Drizzle over the top a little extra virgin olive oil.

Add ¼ cup water to the base of the dish then place the peppers into the hot oven.

Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are golden (not burnt) and the peppers are soft and succulent.

To serve:

[Pepperoni Gratin is excellent as a hot side dish to fish or meat.

Can be served cool as part of a mixed platter of antipasti.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Try them also with tuna and some capers and you will get an excellent second course, ideal for those who want to taste something typical of Puglia and genuine at the same time.

I usually use two or three times the amount of peppers as they go so quickly in my house!

Can use courgettes, aubergines, tomatoes or fennel for this recipe.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

ANTIPASTI

Baked peppers with breadcrumbs (Peperoni gratinati al forno)

The delicious aromas will overwhelm you. Dad’s traditional Peperoni al forno can be eaten as a starter or side dish. ...

This is my go-to recipe for picnics, when visiting friends or sometimes just for me – with a fried egg on the top!

It is moist, plump and crispy. This recipe produces a crispy crusted rice omelette with a creamy core and spots of oozing cheese. In Italy, it’s rare to find a restaurant that offers frittata on its menu; it’s the quintessential home food, it is usually made on the spur of the moment or when the fridge is bare!

You can add just about anything to it but our favourite is this one. Hot or cold – it’s easy to make and delicious!

Ingredients:

300 grams risotto rice (cooked and cooled or leftover risotto)

25 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated.

200 grams provolone or mozzarella cheese, cut into 1 cm cubes.

8 – 12 eggs (or more if you want it more fluffy. My auntie Lucia uses 14 eggs – but then she gets them fresh from the farm every day!).

2 Garlic cloves – crushed

Hand full of chopped parsley.

20 ml Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Black pepper, finely ground

Preparing the dish:

Cook and cool the rice.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy.

Add to the egg mixture the chopped mozzarella, parmesan, crushed garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.

In a large frying pan, add the olive oil so it covers the bottom of the pan and heat gently - do not let it burn.

Once the oil is hot, add the rice mixture. Ensure you spread it evenly (this mixture fills my frying pan).

Reduce the heat and cook on medium for approx. 8-10 minutes.

Keep poking a fork into the frittata to allow the heat to travel through and help with an even cook.

Use a spatula to lift the sides of the frittata from the pan and check that the bottom is not starting to burn—that’s important.

As soon as you see that the liquid has been absorbed from the top of the mixture, take the pan off the heat, half cover it with a lid, and leave it that way for 30 seconds. Shake the pan to be sure that it’s not sticking to the bottom. If it does stick, gently detach it with a spatula. The frittata can now be turned over.

If you want to use the traditional method for flipping the frittata over, you’ll need to be careful and quick. Using a flat dish that is larger than the pan—or you can use a flat lid—place one hand firmly on top of the lid and the other hand on the handle, and quickly turn the whole arrangement upside down. Immediately slide the frittata—the golden-brown side will now appear on top—back into the pan to finish cooking for the last few minutes – until the underside has also turned golden.

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

Add more cheese for greater ooze!

When stored in the fridge, be sure to put your frittata in an airtight plastic container, as water and humidity can ruin the taste.

Any greens or veggies you add into the frittata should first be sautéed, in order to eliminate most of their water.

Cooked ham or bacon can be added too.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apenest white wine.

Salute!

ANTIPASTI

Rice Omelette (Frittata di riso)

The frittata di riso (rice omelette) comes from the Italians' ability to repurpose leftovers in admirable ways and th...

(Little ears pasta with bitter turnip greens)

Being part of an Italian family is not always easy! There are so many aunts and

uncles ready to give you their ’best’ recipe! This is one - everyone loves and to tell

the truth, there are very few people in the family who adapt this recipe! It’s one we all stick to (apart from making or buying the orecchiette!)

This is probably what Bari is best known for, apart from the fresh fish, panzarotte,

focaccia, pasta al forno, parmigiana, EVOO, wine, beaches, sundried tomatoes, bad driving and of course football!!

The rape (greens) are a form of wild chicory greens and can be difficult to find in the

UK. A good alternative would be greens that have a bitter taste such as: dandelion

leaves, kale or turnip tops.

Now, the orecchietti is something else! We’re lucky enough to have plenty of aunties who make it and on the rare occasion they don’t feel up to making it, we can buy it locally – and it’s fresh! Do not despair! You can get dried orecchietti – not the same but not a bad alternative! Or ... you can make your own!

See our recipe in the pasta section!

Ingredients:

500 gr. orecchiete pasta

1 –2 kilos cima di rapa (turnip greens – tops – 2 kg will give you approx 1 kg of

greens)

Approx 10 tablespoons Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

red pepper flakes to taste (about 1/4 – 1/2 tsp)

4-6 anchovy filets

Preparing your dish:

To prepare the greens for cooking you only want the tenderest of the leaves and the

flowering heads. The thick stalks get thrown away.

Prepare all your ingredients before you get started.

Wash and trim your greens. This took me the longest time to figure out! You want all

the tender leaves and the flowering head – that’s the most important part and most

bitter! It’s the cima!

Anchovies: you can use anchovies packed in oil, ready to go, but I like the ones that

are preserved in salt. This means soaking them for about 10 minutes beforehand, in

room temperature water. Then carefully opening them up, taking out the central

bones, and rinsing them off. Cut them into small pieces.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Add the turnip greens and bring the water up to a steady simmer.

While this is cooking, add your evoo into a pan (large enough to hold all the pasta

and greens)

Heat your evoo gently and add the chopped garlic and chili flakes.

When the garlic begins to become fragrant, add the anchovies, mixing and mashing

them up with a wooden spoon.

Turn off the heat so the garlic doesn’t brown or burn.

Once the greens have begun to soften, add the orecchiette to the boiling water with

the turnip greens and boil for a couple ofminutes until they are cooked – al dente = to

the bite.

Orecchiette is a tricky pasta to get right. You want it to be cooked through, but still

chewy. They will be more ‘al dente’ than other kinds and this is what you want – that

it has a bite!

When it is cooked, drain the pasta and greens in a colander, reserving a cup of the

cooking water.

Turn the heat back on under the pan with the evoo and add the pasta to the pan.

Stir and toss the pasta and greens into the oil over low heat, so that pasta absorbs

the oil and flavours.

Add a bit of cooking water if you think it’s dry. But the broccoli should give the dish

enough moisture.

To serve:

Place into a large serving dish

Serve, making sure you divide the broccoli evenly into each dish.

Drizzle some of of our Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil. I am sure you already

have one of our beautiful terracotta jars on your dinner table!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

You can make a lot of rape and store it for up to 3 days in the fridge.

Use the rape to eat with our fave recipe!

Add as much or as little oil and chili as you like!

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito white

wine Apeneste!

starter & pasta

Pasta with turnip greens (Orecchiette con le cime di rape)

Being part of an Italian family is not always easy! There are so many aunts and uncles ready to give you their ’best...

Saint Nicola’s tomato Baked pasta

Warming and wonderful! As I'm writing this recipe, I am salivating so definitely one I will be cooking tonight!

Saint Nicola is the patron saint of Bari, protector of seafarers and defender of the weak. We like to name our dishes after him!

The flavours of the tomatoes are intensified in this dish because they’ve been baked. It is a dish we love all year round. Perfect for using up your salad tomatoes that have been in your fridge for ages – especially if they’re not very tasty! So now it is your turn– provaci!

Ingredients:

500 g Rigatoni or Penne

Capers

3-4 cloves garlic

1 kg Fresh salad tomatoes

200 g of grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese

200g fresh breadcrumbs

Preparing the tomatoes:

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Cut your salad tomatoes in half

Place the halved tomatoes over the bottom of an 8- x 12-inch rectangular baking dish.

Finely grate or slice your garlic and scatter over the top of the tomatoes

Add a handful of capers on top of the tomatoes

Add some freshly ground black pepper (no salt at this point)

In a bowl, mix together your grated Parmesan or Pecorino cheese and breadcrumbs then scatter ¾ of the mixture over the top of the sliced tomatoes.

Drizzle some Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil over the top of the cheese/breadcrumb mixture and place into the oven.

Bake until the tomatoes are bubbling and the breadcrumb/cheese is a golden colour.

Remove from oven and set aside.

Prepare the pasta:

While your tomatoes are cooking in the oven, bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.

I cannot emphasise the importance of sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined.

Look at the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta.

Once cooked to the recommended time on the packet, drain the pasta.

Putting the dish together:

Empty your pasta into the oven dish with the tomatoes and mix well.

Taste and add salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the remaining cheese/breadcrumb mixture over the top

To serve:

Bring the dish straight to the table and serve!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Don’t be scared to let the tomatoes burn a little – it makes the dish even more tasty!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Cantiniere Primitivo red wine.
Buon appetito!

starter & pasta

Baked tomato pasta (Pasta San Nicola)

Warming and wonderful! As I'm writing this recipe, I am salivating so definitely one I will be cooking tonight! Saint...

Beans and pasta

Pasta e fagioli

serves 4 or more

Pasta e fagioli is a hot and substantial first course, a great classic of Italian cuisine that has its roots in the poor peasant tradition; widespread especially in southern Italy and in particular in Naples where it is called "Past and Fasul".

The peculiarity is that the pasta (mixed or tubetti) is cooked together with the beans; previously stewed with tomato, garlic, oil and fresh parsley; with the same method of Pasta and potatoes! In this way the starch released by the pasta binds to the legumes which will slowly fall apart; giving life to the classic creamy, enveloping, incredibly tasty Pasta e fagioli! which in Neapolitan is called "azzeccata"!

Can be eaten hot or cold – delicious!

Ingredients:

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking and serving

500g cannellini beans (dried then soaked overnight) or tinned beans (no soaking required)

4 garlic cloves

Salt and pepper to taste

4-5 fresh tomatoes, chopped

1 large celery stick and the centre part leaves cut into large chunks

1 piece prosciutto or pork belly/gammon (optional but recommended) left whole or cut into lardons

250g tubetti pasta (or as much as you like!)

Fresh, chopped parsley (optional)

Preparing the dish:

If using dried beans, the night before making this dish, put the 500g dried cannellini beans into a bowl and cover with tap water. Soak overnight. The following day, drain and rinse the beans.

***

If using tinned beans, do not discard the liquid.

Pour approx. 4 tablespoons of olive oil into a large saucepan and lightly fry the chunk or cubes of prosciutto or pork belly until golden.

Into the pan, add the drained or tinned beans, chopped tomatoes, peeled garlic cloves, celery and the celery leaves.

Add a little salt and pepper (you will add more after cooking).

Cover with cold water.

Bring the water to the boil then cover and simmer on a low light for approx. 1hour or until the beans are fully cooked.

Before the beans are fully cooked – when they still have a little resistance in them, it’s time to add your pasta into the beans.

The starch in the pasta will help to thicken the bean sauce.

When the pasta is cooked, your dish is ready.

To serve:

Serve the soup in individual bowls and lightly drizzle some or Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil. Add some freshly ground black pepper.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste – depending on whether you’ve used water or stock.

This will keep in the fridge for 3 days and will still taste fabulous.

Can serve cold for a buffet

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

starter & pasta

Beans and pasta (Pasta e fagioli)

Pasta e fagioli is a hot and substantial first course, a great classic of Italian cuisine that has its roots in the p...

Tagliatelle ai fungi

Tagliatelle with mushrooms

Serves 4

Our family love mushrooms and this time of year we have everything from button mushrooms to fabulous porcini and truffles! This is a quick and easy recipe. Even if you’re not a mushroom lover, you really should give this recipe a try! An Italian classic that is delicious. If you can get fresh porcini then perfetto – if not, mix some dried porcini with button mushrooms or any mushroom you like!

Ingredients:

500g fresh mushrooms (we have used fresh porcini mushrooms but the dried ones are also good – just remember to hydrate them first, sieve the liquid and use it in the sauce)

240 ml white wine

1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

400g dried tagliatelle

200g grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

Preparing the dish:

In a large frying pan, gently heat the olive oil.

Add the chopped garlic and sauté for a couple of minutes.

Add the sliced mushrooms and cook until soft.

We used fresh porcini mushrooms as they’ve just come into season

(Remember if using a range of mushrooms, they may have different cooking times)

Add your white wine and cook until it reduces by half then add salt and pepper.

Remove half the mushroom mixture and place into a blender (or container with hand whisk).

Bring a pan of well-salted water to a boil and add your tagliatelle. Do not cook it fully – leave it with a bite (al dente) as it will continue to cook when you add it to the pan with your sauce.

When the tagliatelle is al dente, drain (keep back 1 cup of the pasta cooking water)and add the tagliatelle to the pan with your mushrooms.

Into your blender with half the mushrooms, add half the parmesan, half the parsley and 1 cup of the water used to cook the pasta and blend until it turns into a deliciously smooth cream sauce.

Add the cream sauce to the pan with the mushrooms and mix well.

To serve:

Place into a large serving dish, sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and parsley and serve with a little drizzle of our Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil. I am sure you already have one of our beautiful terracotta jars on your dinner table!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito white wine Apeneste!

starter & pasta

Tagliatelle with mushrooms (Tagliatelle ai fungi)

Our family love mushrooms and this time of year we have everything from button mushrooms to fabulous porcini and truf...

Traditional baked pasta from Puglia

serves 6

Watch our video HERE

One of our ‘top five’ dishes of all time!

This is a dish that takes time but it is an incredible crowd pleaser. It is well known all around the world, alongside other Italian dishes such as pizza and spaghetti!

The longer the ragu cooks, the deeper and fuller the flavour.

It is another recipe that is made all year round but is usually reserved for special occasions. However, Lasagne goes back to the 4th century BC. There is archaeological evidence of thin sheets of pasta, much like modern lasagna, dating back centuries. Frescoes have been found in the Tomba dei Rilievi (“Tomb of Reliefs”) in Lazio near Rome that show the tools and ingredients for pasta-making as well as banquets showing diners enjoying a version of lasagne!

Just like our parmigiana or pasta al forno recipes, this is traditionally cooked in a large terracotta pot and where possible in a pizza oven, but a large roasting tray or oven dish will still produce an incredibly unforgettable dish. Of course there are regional variations and you will probably make your own tweaks!

We would love your feedback and if you decide to follow our recipe, drop us a line or send us your photos!

Buon appetito!

Top tip: Prepare each of the components so they are ready for the final assembly

Ingredients:

For the soffritto

2 tbsp Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped

1 stick celery, finely diced

1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced

For the sauce:

700g minced meat

(preferably a mixture of beef, pork and veal but whatever you can get)

2 x 500ml Jars passata

Tap water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 glass Apeneste white wine

A pinch of grated/fresh nutmeg

For the béchamel sauce:

100g butter

100g plain flour

1000 ml whole milk

Salt and pepper to taste

A pinch of grated/fresh nutmeg

For the lasagne:

You are aiming for 3 or 4 layers of lasagne so quantity will depend on the size of the dish you are using. We recommend using they dry pasta sheets and not the fresh.

1000g dried lasagne sheets (x2 packs approx)

300g (approx) freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Step1 Preparing the meat sauce:

Finely chop the carrot, celery and onion and sweat slowly with a little olive oil in a large, deep skillet or pan.

When soft and the onions are translucent, add the minced meat and brown whilst breaking it up with a spoon.

When browned, add the glass of white wine and reduce by half.

Once the wine has reduced, add the 2 jars of tomato passata, fill each of the empty jars with a little water (about ¼ of each jar) and swirl them around to gather the remaining sauce and empty into the sauce.

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and a light grating of nutmeg.

Stir then simmer for about 2 hours – until most of the tomato sauce has been absorbed, leaving a thick meaty sauce.

Step2 Preparing the bechamel:

Add the butter to a saucepan and cook on a medium heat until it is melted and bubbling.

Using a wooden spoon, stir in the flour and keep stirring for 2 or 3 miniutes so the flour can cook out.

My secret is then to change over to a whisk and slowly add half of the milk into the butter and flour whisking constantly to avoid any lumps.

Once it has started to thicken add the rest of the milk and a small pinch of nutmeg (if using fresh nutmeg, just 4 scrapes on your grater is plenty) and a pinch of salt and pepper.

Continue to heat the sauce whilst stirring until thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.

Take off the heat and set aside

Step3 Assembling the Lasagne:

Into your baking dish, add a ladle of the béchamel. Swirl it around so it lightly coats the base of your baking dish.

Add a ladle of the ragu on top of the béchamel.

Top with a single layer of lasagne pasta sheets. Ensure the sheets go from edge to edge – snap them to fit if required. They can overlap but very slightly.

Repeat the layers of béchamel, ragu and pasta sheets until you have 3 or 4 layers.

For the final layer, mix your remaining ragu with the béchamel and cover the dry pasta sheet.

Sprinkle over the freshly grated parmesan cheese.

Bake in a pre-heated oven (180°) for approx. 1 hour or until the top has turned golden with some slightly darker, crunchy bits!

Step4 To serve:

Bring the dish straight to the table and serve! It is of course, the star attraction!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

The ragu needs at least 2-3 hours to simmer so the incredible flavour can develop. You just won't get the same depth of flavour by turning the heat up or using any shortcuts.
Don't cover the ragu as it's simmering or it won't concentrate in flavour enough.
If you find the ragu has reduced and thickened too much add more water ½ cup (125ml) at a time.
You can make the beef ragu a day or two in advance to cut the prep time down.
Don’t be scared to let the top burn – it makes the dish even more tasty!
Easily adapted to a vegetarian dish. You can substitute the meat for quorn, chopped vegetables of the season or delicious seafood. However, for a seafood lasagne, we would recommend removing the tomato sauce and using only the béchamel.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Apeneste white wine or if you are like me, a glass of my favourite wine Il Vescovo!

Salute!🍷

starter & pasta

Traditional Baked Pasta (Lasagne)

One of our ‘top five’ dishes of all time! This is a dish that takes time but it is an incredible crowd pleaser. It is...

Baked pasta from Puglia

serves 6

Our family’s number one dish! Another recipe that is made all year round and is a classic on a Sunday – especially in the south of Italy where they maintain many more traditions than the rest of the country. It is a dish that we eat at the family table and one that has been packed away and taken on picnics and day outs to the beach! It always draws a crowd and is a recipe that takes time but is one of the most prepared and appreciated dishes in Puglia – second only to a parmigiana or a lasagne!

Typically, this is cooked in a large terracotta pot and where possible, in a pizza oven. Many years ago, the nonnas or mammas cooking the dish would take their partially cooked dish to the local baker or communal oven. Stories have been told of the ladies in a procession to and from the ovens! Finishing it off in these ovens, makes the Pasta al Forno taste even richer – if that is at all possible! It is the crust that forms on the top with the cheese. It is best when the top burns slightly and the pasta sticking out becomes crisp, mixed with the succulence of the sauce inside, makes this dish truly unforgettable.

As with all traditional Italian dishes, there are of course regional variations and you will probably make your own tweaks! But with this recipe, you cannot go wrong. This recipe has been handed down from our nonna Elena, everyone still follows the recipe and our dad Michele taught us to make it – now it is your turn– provaci!

Ingredients:

500 g Rigatoni or Paccheri

300 g of mozzarella cheese (chopped into 1cm cubes)

200 g of grated Parmesan cheese (300g in total)

150g Mortadella sliced or chopped (optional)

For the tomato sauce:

1 small onion (chopped)

2 cloves chopped garlic

2 Jars passata

2 tbs extra virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs

(follow pasta and meatball recipe)

500g minced meat (equal amounts of pork, veal and beef or any combination)

100g grated parmesan or romano cheese

Handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 slices white bread or 50g breadcrumbs

1 glass milk

1 large egg

2 cloves garlic very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

Preparing the tomato sauce:

1 lit tomato sauce (follow Parmigiana or meatball sauce recipes)

or

Make a sauté with the finely chopped small onion and garlic

Add 1 lit tomato passata, fill the empty jars with a little water – swirl them around to gather the remaining sauce and pour into the other jar then empty into the saucepan

Add a pinch of salt and pepper and simmer for 30 minutes. Ready to add the meatballs.

Preparing the meatballs:

Follow meatball sauce recipe

or

In a small bowl, place the white bread / breadcrumbs and enough milk to cover. Leave the bread to absorb the milk.

In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, parmesan/romano and a beaten egg.

Remove the bread/breadcrumbs from the milk and lightly squeeze it to remove the excess liquid (this will make your meatballs light and fluffy) and add it to the meat mixture.

With your freshly washed hands, blend all the ingredients together.

This is where you will need to decide on the size of your meatballs. For this recipe, the smaller the meatballs the better! Approx. 1 teaspoon of meat (a lot of work but kids love the little ones!).

This will require a bit of time but you will have a lot of meatballs!

Form your meatballs and place them on a tray/plate.

When you have done this, have a sip of wine! Then remove the lid off the sauce, carefully drop each ball in to the sauce – be careful not to drop them from a height!

Bring the heat up slightly so that they simmer in the sauce but do not let it boil.

The meatballs need to cook for about 30 minutes. Have a quick taste to see if you need to add any more salt and pepper.

Prepare the pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.

I cannot emphasise the importance of sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined.

Look at the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta and take off 3 minutes. This is because the pasta will have a second cooking session once put into the oven so you don’t want to over-cook it or it will turn to mush!

Once partially cooked, drain the pasta water. You will need to use the saucepan for mixing so don’t wash the pan up just yet – but do throw away the water!

Putting the dish together:

Preheat your oven to 180
In the large empty saucepan where you cooked the pasta, put your drained pasta and add approx 5 ladles of the incredible sauce – try not to add the meatballs yet.

Mix together well and add a handful of the grated parmesan.

Ladle the sauce coated pasta into the bottom of your baking dish

Now add a layer of the mini meatballs

A couple of ladles of the sauce

Cover with a handful of the chopped mozzarella and a sprinkle of the parmesan

Repeat the layer:

Pasta, meatballs, sauce, mozzarella, parmesan

Top the dish with a final couple of ladles of the sauce and a good covering of parmesan

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 60-90 minutes – until the top is crispy and any pasta sticking out is slightly charred and crispy – everyone in my family always target the crispy bits first!

To serve:

Bring the dish straight to the table and serve!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Don’t be scared to let the top burn – it makes the dish even more tasty!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Cantiniere Primitivo red wine.

starter & pasta

Baked pasta (Pasta al forno alla Pugliese)

Our family’s number one dish! Another recipe that is made all year round and is a classic on a Sunday – especially in...

Orecchiette with broccoli and crispy bacon (serves 4)

Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears." Their size and rounded shape are just right for toppings such as: pancetta, pine nuts and broccoli or for holding a delicious tomato sauce. Grating Parmigiano-Reggiano over the entire dish is always a good idea.

It is one of the first dishes my brother and sisters ask for when we visit our Italian family – we can’t get enough of it! We have an auntie who lives in the old town of Bari (Bari Vecchia). She is one of the ‘older’ ladies who every day, sit outside on the cobbled street, with her neighbours, having a good old moan and a gossip while making this wonderful, fresh traditional Puglian pasta. Memories of sitting with them when we were younger always make me smile. They would give us a corner of the wooden board (not a table!) to sit at, some of the raw pasta and a knife and off we would go; cutting, dragging it with the knife to form the shape and then eating it before they caught us!

This recipe traditionally uses green cauliflower (Romanesco)from Puglia but this can be substituted by broccoli. Quick, easy but so full of flavour.

Ingredients:

Orecchiette: 400 g

Romanesco / broccoli: 800 g

Terre Di San Vito olive oil: 2 tablespoons

Garlic: 1 clove finely chopped

Pancetta/streaky bacon/lardons, chopped: 200g

Salt: pinch for

Chili pepper/chili flakes: to taste

Anchovies: 4

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano: 120g (or more if you love it!)

Preparing the dish:

Wash the broccoli.

Cut into florets.

Boil the broccoli in a large saucepan of salted water for approximately 5 minutes. Once cooked (al dente: to the bite), drain the water (but keep it) and set the broccoli aside.

In a large frying pan, add the pancetta/bacon on a medium heat. Cook for about 3 minutes or once it begins to turn golden but not crispy (yet!).

Add the Terre Di San Vito olive oil, garlic and chilli pepper/flakes.

As soon as the garlic begins to sizzle, add the anchovy fillets and let them melt into the oil. This will give a salty taste to the dish.

Add the broccoli florets and mix.

Add a little of the water from the saucepan to the pan, cover and let the broccoli absorb the flavour for a couple of minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in the salted water in which you cooked the broccoli and, when the pasta is cooked, drain and transfer it to the pan with the broccoli and stir.

If the orecchiette is dry while stirring, add a little more of the reserved cooking water.

Give it all a good mix but don’t mix it too hard or the broccoli may fall apart!

Put the mixture into a large serving bowl and cover it with a generous serving of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Reserve some of the pasta water

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine

Salute!

starter & pasta

ORECCHIETTE WITH BROCCOLI & CRISPY BACON

Orecchiette is Italian for "little ears." Their size and rounded shape are just right for toppings such as: pancetta,...

starter & pasta

CREAMY SUNDRIED TOMATO PASTA

My brother and sisters love this dish – it’s so tasty and satisfying! We used to ask our nonna to make this whenever ...

(Traditional Puglian vegetable soup) (serves 4 or more)

A minestrone soup is known throughout the world. Like so many classic dishes, there are practically as many minestrone recipes as there are minestrone cooks! It is a wonderful soup that can be eaten all year round - its component ingredients changing with the seasons.

Some people love it natural, with just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, some add grains or pasta, some eat it cold and some eat it hot with a slice of toasted bread at the bottom of the dish. A well-made minestrone always allows for variety. It’s the ideal a comfort food when you want a hot light meal at the end of the day.

This is our family’s recipe given to me by Auntie Lucia and includes pancetta (which can be omitted if cooking for vegetarians) and shell shaped pastina (little pasta). Do vary the vegetables to suit your taste and season.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for pouring when serving

1onion finely chopped

3 stalks and tops of celery diced

Approx 250g pancetta diced (can use: lardons, bacon or ham)

2 Potatoes diced

3 Carrots diced

3 Courgettes diced

3 Large peppers diced

1 large aubergine diced

6 large tomatoes or 1 tin of plum tomatoes chopped

1 cabbage or greens diced

Water/stock to cover

If possible, the rind of a chunk of parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

200g grated parmesan cheese

½ Packet pastina (or any pasta of choice)

Preparing the dish:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat

When warm, add the onions, Pancetta/lardons and celery and sauté for 5 minutes.

Then add the potato and carrots and cook for another 5 minutes.

Add the chopped courgettes, peppers, aubergines and give them a good stir.

Now add the chopped fresh or tinned tomatoes, the rind of the parmesan cheese and the water/stock, a little salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, add cabbage, cover and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.

In a separate saucepan, cook your chosen pasta/pastina until ‘al dente’ (that means with a bit of a bite to it!) and set aside.

To serve:

Serve the soup in individual bowls sprinkled with some of the pasta then top with grated parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.

In Puglia and especially in our family, we always drizzle our extra-virgin olive oil over the top – it gives it an incredible flavour!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Adjust the vegetables to suit you and the season.

This will keep in the fridge for 3 days and will taste even better!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

starter & pasta

VEGETABLE SOUP (MINESTRA DI VERDURE - MINESTRONE)

A minestrone soup is known throughout the world. Like so many classic dishes, there are practically as many minestron...

Small pasta tubes with mussels

Serves 4

Nonna Elena’s recipe has been handed down to every member of our family and you would think they have all put their own twist on it – wrong! Every one of my aunts and uncles cook it the same way and it is de-lic-ious! Our uncle Mario has two restaurants: one in Bari town and one in Polignano sur mare – just near our family farm and it is on the beach! Ai due ghiottoni restaurants are a ‘must go to’. Nonna Elena gave the chef her recipe and they have used it for the past 55 years! Winner winner fishy dinner!

This is one of my brother’s favourite dishes – definitely in his top 5! As soon as he was seated in my uncle’s restaurant (an incredible treat for the kids from London!) the words would trickle out of his salivating mouth ‘tubettini con le cozze per favore’!

This is one of Puglia’s most famous and traditional seafood dishes and originally comes from Taranto.

Ingredients:

500gr mussels

400gr tubettini pasta (little tubes)

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

2 cloves garlic, chopped

A little dried, crushed chili pepper

1 glass of dry white wine –Terre Di San Vito is best for this

Olive oil

Salt and black pepper

A handful of chopped parsley

Preparing the dish:

Wash the mussels well under running water and pull out the beards (the stringy bits hanging out of the shell). When you have cleaned them all, leave them in a bowl of cold water.

Bring a pan of water (for the pasta) to the boil and add about a tablespoon of salt. When boiling, add the pasta tubes.

At this point you need to begin to prepare the mussels.

In a large pan, on a medium heat, add about 2 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil and the chopped garlic.

After a couple of minutes, once the garlic is slightly golden (do not let it burn)add the cherry tomatoes.

Once the garlic and tomatoes have softened (about 4-5 minutes)add the white wine and bring to a boil so the alcohol evaporates.

Taste and season with salt and pepper then add the mussels.

Cover the pan with a lid and leave it for a couple of minutes so the mussels have time to open.

By now, the pasta should be ready – take one out and taste it – it should be ‘al dente’ which means that it has a bit of a bite to it – not mushy!

Strain the pasta, but keep a little of the liquid back in case you need to loosen the sauce.

Add the pasta to the mussels, along with the chopped parsley.

Mix well on a low heat for a minute so that you combine all the flavours and serve.

To serve:

Place into a large serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a little drizzle of our Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil. I am sure you already have one of our beautiful terracotta jars on your dinner table!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

The sauce should be pinkish-red and a little watery.

This dish can also be served in a thick tomato sauce – a controversial talking point in our family – some love it red some white – you decide!

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito rose wine Mosi

starter & pasta

Pasta with mussels (Tubettini con le cozze)

Nonna Elena’s recipe has been handed down to every member of our family and you would think they have all put their o...

Pollo Milanese

(Chicken in breadcrumbs)

Chicken Milanese is a beloved family recipe that’s been passed down through generations, with a delicious twist! In our family, we add a touch of Parmesan to the breadcrumbs, making the coating extra flavourful. While we usually use chicken breasts or thighs for a juicier bite, sometimes, we even get adventurous and substitute chicken for tender lamb chops! Whether you're in Italy or the UK, this dish is a go-to all year round for any family gathering or cozy dinner. Simple, tasty, and always a hit!

Serve with a green salad, vegetables or potatoes.

Ingredients:

homemade or panko breadcrumbs (I used stale sourdough bread)

Salt and pepper for seasoning

finely grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

Any flour

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced or 4 chicken thighs

olive oil or neutral oil for frying

Preparing the dish:

Add the breadcrumbs to a medium, shallow bowl along with the grated parmesan, salt and pepper, then use a fork or your fingers to mix together.

Put the flour in a shallow dish and season with a little salt.

Tip the egg into another dish and whisk.

Cut each chicken breast in half lengthways so you have four fillets. Or slice the thighs to half their thickness.

Put the fillets on a board, cover with a sheet of baking parchment and bash with a rolling pin until they are the same thickness all over.

Season each piece of chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.

Arrange your breading station so that the raw chicken is on the left, then the flour next to it, then the egg, then the breadcrumbs, and then another plate or pan to hold the breaded chicken.

Take a piece of chicken and coat it in the flour, then shake off the excess.

Add the chicken to the egg mixture, turn to coat, then let the excess drip off.

ransfer the chicken to the breadcrumbs, toss it around and press gently to help the breadcrumbs adhere.

Heat a generous amount of oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place 1 to 3 chicken breasts in the pan at a time, depending on how many your pan can hold without overcrowding.

Cook until golden brown on both sides, then remove to a wire rack or kitchen roll to remove the excess oil.

To serve:

The chicken can be served immediately, kept warm in the oven or even eaten cold – all are delicious!

Serve with a fresh green salad, vegetables or potatoes. You can of course serve it with a side of pasta in tomato sauce!

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

When breading the chicken, use tongs or a fork to keep your hands clean. If you prefer to use your hands try to keep one hand wet and one hand dry to avoid breading your fingers.

Don't overcrowd the pan when frying. I try not to fry more than two or three at a time, but depending on your pan you may only be able to fit one.

Store leftover chicken Milanese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

This can also be reheat in an oven preheated to 180 until the chicken is heated through.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

MEAT & FISH

Chicken in breadcrumbs) (Chicken Milanese)

Chicken Milanese is a beloved family recipe that’s been passed down through generations, with a delicious twist! In o...

Mixed fried fish

Serves 4

If you want the best ever Frittura di Mare then look no further than our Zio Mario! The incredibly fresh fish and array of shellfish – caught that morning, presented on ice, makes a statement as you enter the kingdom of the fabulous food – also known as our zio Mario’s restaurant Ai due Ghiottoni. Whether you are a fish lover or not – this dish is a Puglian tradition. It simple, fresh and delicious!

It can be prepared with many types of fish, but usually with squid and king prawns, to which you can add small fish such as sardines, mullets, or mixed paranza. Of course, the cod (baccala)is also excellent. When in season, Zio Mario also adds courgette flowers to the mix – it is wonderful!
This dish is best prepared and served at the time, hot and crispy with a slice of lemon.

A top tip: serve it as part of any celebration – the Christmas eve feast is perfect for this dish – for our family though – any day of the year is good for this dish!

Ingredients

1 kg mixed fish

(squid, wild king prawns, langoustines, cod, red mullet, whitebait, scallops - whatever you prefer)

200 gr flour

Terre di San Vito’s Extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Lemon

Preparing the squid:

The best squid for frying are the small ones, because they remain softer and have an intense flavour but you can use any.

To clean it, you must first remove the head then the entrails will come out as they remain attached.

The head is prepared by cutting off the part under the tentacles, removing the beak and rinsing it under a trickle of water.

The body must be prepared by removing the internal bone, then emptying it and rinsing it well. Slice the squid into rings of about 2 cm.

If the squid are very small then do cook them whole – no need to slice them.

Set them aside to drain.

Preparing the king prawns

Any raw prawns are best and are good for frying – the large wild king prawns or langoustines will require a little longer cooking time but are worth it.

For cleaning, cut off the prawn head and remove the dark gut placed on the back. If it does not come off well, help yourself with a toothpick.

Cut the long legs.

Rinse them and put them to drain.

Leave a selection in their shell – they are so tasty when fried.

Preparing the fish

Wash the fish under running water, remove the entrails and where possible any bones and rinse well.

Ensure all the fish and shell fish are well drained and dry.

If you do not like frying with whole fish, fillets can be obtained by removing the head and opening the fish along the belly to remove the bone – or ask your fishmonger to do this!

Cooking the dish (Cook by type)

Put a large pan with the oil on to heat. If you have a cooking thermometer, the right temperature to start frying is around 180 ° C. Or use a deep fat fryer.

In the meantime, dip each type of fish into the flour, shake it slightly to remove the excess and place it carefully into the hot oil.

First fry the whole fish or cod, then the baby squid, finally the prawns/langoustine.

Remove the fish as soon as it is golden brown. Remember, the prawns do need to cook until golden – even the ones still in their shell.

Generally 2 minutes are enough for small to medium sized prawns, 3 minutes for the larger ones and langoustine.

Remove the fish as it is ready with a slotted spoon and dry on a sheet of kitchen paper.

Season with salt and serve immediately.

To serve

Put on a large platter in the centre of the table, add a pinch of salt and a couple of lemon wedges and serve with a fresh salad.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

It is essential to use a large frying pan and keep the heat on a constant highto prevent the temperature of the oil from lowering and the squid and fish in general from being soggy.
If you can find them, add courgette flowers or slices of courgettes (dipped in the flour) to the hot oil for one of your 5-a-day!

Serve our Frittura di mare with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

fried seafood, frittata a mare, puglia, italy, terre di san vito, Mosi, Rosé,

MEAT & FISH

Mixed fried fish with calamari (Frittura di mare - Zio Mario)

If you want the best ever Frittura di Mare then look no further than our Zio Mario! The incredibly fresh fish and arr...

Pasta e salsa di polpette

serves 4-6

This is it – the ultimate Italian recipe, the one that is still going strong! Every Italian family has their own version of their meatball sauce but this one, handed down from our late father, made with love, really is the best! Around the world, most people accompany this sauce with spaghetti but in Italy, it is always served with either rigatoni or penne pasta.

Pasta with meatballs brings back such wonderful memories of our summers in Bari. Sitting round the table, our aunties and uncles and about 20 of our cousins! The smell of the cooking meatball sauce wafting around us! We would sneak into the kitchen, grab a chunk of bread and when no one was watching, dip it into the sauce then burn the roof of our mouths because it was so hot but my goodness, it was worth it!

The meatballs in this recipe can be any size but my brother and sisters love them mini sized – about the size of a marble. This size is also perfect when making a pasta al forno (recipe for next month!). A perfect dish for the family. It can be frozen in batches and reheats really well. Have some crusty bread ready to dip in – just to check the taste of the sauce of course!

Ingredients:

For the tomato sauce:

4 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking

1onion finely chopped

Handful fresh basil

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 jars Passata (around 690g each or the cartons)

Salt and pepper to taste

For the meatballs:

900g minced meat (equal amounts of pork, veal and beef)

Approx 200g grated parmesan or romano cheese (you will need more cheese

for garnishing when serving)

Handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

4 slices white bread (no crust)

1 glass milk

2 large eggs

2 cloves garlic very finely chopped

Salt and pepper

500g Penne or Rigatoni pasta (or any pasta of choice)

First, prepare the sauce:

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat

When warm, add the finely chopped onions and sauté for about 5 minutes or until they are translucent.

Then add the chopped garlic, do not let it burn.

Once it is lightly golden, add the 2 jars pf passata.

Fill one of the empty passata jars with water, swish it around the bottle (with the lid on!) then pour it into the second empty jar. When all the remaining sauce has been collected by the swirling water, add it to your sauce.

Add a teaspoon and a half of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper and stir the sauce.

Bring the sauce to a boil then reduce the heat to a simmer, add a lid and let it cook for at least an hour. Low and slow. After approx. 30 min, taste your sauce to see if you need to add more seasoning (with a spoon or by dipping in a chunk of crusty bread – but remember – it is hot!)

Next, prepare the meatballs:

In a small bowl, place the 4 slices of white bread (remove crust) and enough milk to cover. Leave the bread to absorb the milk.

In a large mixing bowl, add the minced meat, chopped parsley, chopped garlic, parmesan/romano and 2 beaten eggs.

Remove the bread from the milk and lightly squeeze it to remove the excess liquid (this will make your meatballs light and fluffy) and add it to the meat mixture.

With your freshly washed hands, blend all the ingredients together.

This is where you will need to decide on the size of your meatballs. For the mini meatballs, approx. 1 teaspoon of meat (a lot of work but kids love the little ones!) for a larger meatball, about a heaped tablespoon. This will require a bit of time but you will have a lot of meatballs!

Form your meatballs and place them on a tray/plate.

When you have done this, have a sip of wine! Then remove the lid off the sauce, carefully drop each ball in to the sauce – be careful not to drop them from a height!

Bring the heat up slightly so that they simmer in the sauce but do not let it boil.

The meatballs need to cook for about 30 minutes. Have a quick taste to see if you need to add any more salt and pepper.

Finally, boil the pasta:

Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil.

Add a tablespoon of salt then add your chosen pasta.

I cannot emphasise the importance of sufficiently salting your water for the pasta. The pasta will not absorb all the salt but if it is under seasoned, the whole dish will be ruined.

Follow the recommended cooking time for your chosen pasta as directed on the packet.

Once cooked, drain the water. You will need to use the saucepan for mixing so don’t wash the pan up just yet!

To serve:

I am salivating as I write this. In fact, I am sure I can smell the delicious sauce cooking!

Add the chopped basil to your tomato and meatball sauce and give a light stir.

In the large empty saucepan where you cooked the pasta, put your drained pasta and add approx 5 ladles of the incredible sauce.

Mix together well.

Then either transfer this to a serving dish or into individual bowls.

Add the meatballs on top of the pasta and a good handful of either parmesan or romano cheese.

Buon appetito!

Top tips:

Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.

Ensure you use plenty of salt in the water when cooking your pasta otherwise it will reduce the flavour of the sauce.

Let your tomato sauce cook long and slow – the longer the better before adding the meatballs.

You can use other minced meat combinations as veal is sometimes difficult to find in the UK. Most people use beef and pork or just beef but I do not recommend using pork only as it will not give you the right balance of flavours.

This will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and will taste even better!

This sauce is used in next month’s pasta al forno so freeze any remaining sauce!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Cantiniere Primitivo wine.

MEAT & FISH

Tomato Meatball Sauce (Pasta e salsa di polpette)

This is it – the ultimate Italian recipe, the one that is still going strong! Every Italian family has their own vers...

Baked fish with olives

serves 4

There’s something about baked fish that always makes me feel good. They’re easy, quick, light and super delicious. This baked fish recipe from our dad Michele is a real winner. It is packed full of flavour but you still get the beautiful, delicate taste of the fish coming through. Full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, this Mediterranean classic it is so good for you and is one of my favourites. This recipe can be used with most white fish: cod, halibut, grouper, snapper, sea bass, and haddock can all be used either whole or fillets but dad would always use whole grey mullet – a cheap fish but cooked this way – it really is delicious and any leftover sauce can be used as a dip or with your favourite pasta!

Our land in Puglia is clearly best friends with Mother Nature and in her infinite wisdom, every year, brings us beautiful citrus fruits and Dad’s baked grey mullet with olives and lemons is an easy and satisfying dish that would make her proud!

Ingredients:

(approx. 80ml) Terre di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves sliced

4 sprigs dried oregano

300g baby tomatoes whole or halved

2 whole grey mullet (or approx. 450g of fish per person)

1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper

300g Olives (a variety of your choice or just one type)

Zest of 2 lemons

2-3 lemons - sliced

Preparing the dish:

Preheat your oven to 180

Wash and pat dry the fish and place in an oven dish.

Season it inside and out with the salt and pepper, lemon zest, sliced garlic and dried oregano.

Place the slices of lemon along the inside of the fish and add a few of the tomatoes and olives.

Scatter the remainder of the olives and tomatoes around the fish and give the fish a good coating of the extra virgin olive oil. You need plenty as it will make the delicious sauce when serving (approx. 80ml).

Bake for 20-30 minutes until the fish is cooked and the olives and tomatoes are beginning to brown.

To serve:

Remove the fillets and put onto a serving dish (include the head as it is full of flavour)

Cover the fish with the olive oil, olives and tomato garnish.

Serve with boiled or roasted potatoes and fresh steamed greens.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Start off the fish at high temperature and then drop the temperature to ensure the fish cooks all the way through and remains moist.

Once the fish is out, drizzle the flavour packed olive oil over the fish and serve!

To prepare the dish in advance, you’ll need to assemble everything and place it in the fridge until ready to bake.

Can use any filleted fish

If you would like it a bit spicier, add fresh chili or peppers.

Use any remaining sauce for pasta.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

MEAT & FISH

Baked fish with olives (Pesce al forno con olive)

There’s something about baked fish that always makes me feel good. They’re easy, quick, light and super delicious. Th...

Agnello e patate al forno

Roast lamb and potatoes – serves 4

This is a classic in the Spring and always on the family table at our Easter lunch both in the UK and in Bari.

Uncle Franco and Auntie Lucia do their best to live off the land in Puglia so everything they can possibly grow – they do and the taste of the home-grown produce is incredible. This red, dark, rust coloured soil is so fertile – just about anything can grow – maybe I should stand in the ground for a little while and I would grow a couple of inches!

The potatoes and rosemary in this recipe are also grown on our land and we all have a go at harvesting the potatoes. My uncle stores them in with the wine so we can use them all year round! This is a great example of how local and seasonal ingredients are used in Puglia.

Holy Week is a period of the year in Puglia dedicated to religious and gastronomic Easter traditions and as in other regions of Italy, the culinary symbols of religious significance are eggs and lamb, both undisputed protagonists of any self-respecting Easter menu.

Here we present our traditional family recipe of baked lamb with potatoes , seasoned with Apulian aromas and cheese, a rich and very tasty dish that is also consumed in Puglia during other times of the year.

I recommend using a rack, loin chops or the leg, cut into large pieces and then many, many potatoes!

A regular baking tray will do but if you have an oven-proof terracotta pot – even better – more authentic!

Ingredients:

1 Kg of your chosen cut of chopped lamb

1 kg of peeled potatoes
2 cloves of garlic cut into 1\4
Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

2 large sprigs rosemary removed from their stalks

50g grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese

1\2 glass Terre Di San Vito’s Mosi Rosé wine
salt and pepper to taste

Preparing the dish:

Heat your oven to 180 ° C.

Wash the lamb and pat it dry with kitchen paper. Set aside

Peel the potatoes, wash and dry them and cut into wedges.

Transfer the potatoes in to a bowl and add some extra virgin olive oil, half of the rosemary, salt, pepper and the garlic.

Grease your chosen baking dish with a little extra virgin olive oil and add half the dressed potatoes.

Add the half glass of white wine and 1\4 of water to the pan with the potatoes.

In a separate bowl, add the lamb pieces and season with the rest of the rosemary, salt and pepper and mix together.

Place it on top of the layer of potatoes already in the baking tray.

Finally, add the grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese to the remaining potatoes in the mixing bowl. Aim to coat all the potatoes with the cheese then add them to the baking tray.

Bake at 180 c for about an hour and a half or until the potatoes on the top are golden and crispy and the lamb is cooked to your liking.

To serve:

Place the whole dish – straight from the oven on to the table and serve – a traditional and authentic Puglian roast lamb with a delicious side of potatoes!

Buona Pasqua e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rosé wine.

MEAT & FISH

Roast lamb and potatoes (Agnello e patate al forno)

This is a classic in the Spring and always on the family table at our Easter lunch both in the UK and in Bari. Uncle ...

Capitone Anguilla grigliato

Grilled eel

Serves 4-6

This is our dad Michele’s recipe - he has been making this forever! When we were children, we would squeal and I’m not sure if it was with fear or delight as our dad would bring home the live eels! They would swim around in the sink or bath – wherever he had put them and we would watch as he chopped them ready to be cooked. They would keep on moving and we were mesmerised!

The appearance is not that inviting, but the meat is white, fatty and of a very delicate taste. Italy is still the main European producer and one of the biggest exporters in the rest of Europe too. Italian eels and Capitone eels mainly come from the fishing valleys of the river Po delta, the Orbetello, Lesina and Varano lagoons, in part from Sardinian ponds and of course in Bari.

This is a dish served all year round but especially on Christmas eve. Our dad used to make this grilled eel recipe and also stewed in tomato sauce which we would eat with spaghetti.

For centuries the Catholic church prohibited its followers from eating meat on Fridays and on Christmas Eve. It was supposed to be a form of self-deprivation, but for Italians living in the countryside who rarely ate meat as it was too expensive, it was part and parcel of daily living.

Eel is a traditional part of a seafood-centric Christmas Eve dinner (La Vigilia di Natale) in many parts of Italy, particularly in the southern Italian towns of Bari and Naples and often makes an appearance as part of the Italian-American Feast of the Seven Fishes as well.

Eels can be prepared roasted, grilled, or fried. Eel meat is oilier than that of many other fish, and is consequently ideally suited to the grill, though it also fries well.

Ingredients

1 kg eel

3 cloves garlic

Fine sea salt (to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

4 tablespoons Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

1/2 bay leaf per piece of eel

Lemon wedges to serve

Lemon slices for the skewers

Preparing the Eel

Cut the eel into pieces about 7 cm long taking care not to damage the skin.

Rinse them under running water and ensure all the blood and residual innards have been removed.

Dry them well.

Once you have patted the chunks dry, place a clove of garlic and a couple of bay leaves, salt and pepper in the middle of each one

Fold the eel back together and skewer each chunk to form its original shape.

Place a slice of lemon on the skewer with the eel.

You can have 1 skewer for each piece or place 3 pieces on a large skewer, placing a bay leaf and a slice of lemon in between each chunk of eel.

Drizzle the eels with a little extra virgin olive oil and add salt and pepper the outside of the eels.

These are now ready to be cooked – either on the BBQ or under the grill. I would recommend whenever possible, to use the BBQ – it really does bring out the sweet taste of the eels.

Place on a baking tray under a hot grill for about 10 minutes or on a hot BBQ, turning them when they become golden. They are also really nice with the skin a bit burnt!

They are ready when the skin is well coloured and the flesh is beautifully white.

To serve

Great eaten with a salad or even some home made chips!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

These eels can also be slow cooked in a tomato sauce and served with spaghetti or pasta (no cheese!)

If you cut them into small chunks, they are wonderful as a starter or with your aperitivo.

Serve our Capitone Anguilla grigliato with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

MEAT & FISH

Grilled Eel (Capitone Anguilla grigliato)

This is our dad Michele’s recipe - he has been making this forever! When we were children, we would squeal and I’m no...

Lobster Catalana style

Astice alla Catalana

Serves 4

The south of Italy is known for many incredible food specialities - especially Bari with their incredible extra virgin olive oils, breads, meats, cheeses and pasta. A region of Italy that will have your taste buds dancing as they go on an adventure of a lifetime! The miles and miles of incredible coastline ensures the seafood from Bari is INCREDIBLE and eating it raw is an absolute MUST. It is not just the variety of fish and seafood that is caught daily, seven days a week, but the quality, all year round – rain or shine the quality is off the scale (excuse the pun!). All along the coastline, you will find fish restaurants with fishmongers and fishermen selling their daily catch. The nets, boats and large blue plastic buckets present the abundance given up by the sea.

Aragosta alla Catalana is an Italian dish originating from Sardinia but of course, all regions have their variations and Bari is no exception. It is a decadent dish but one that is easy to prepare and is a real celebratory dish.

This is Auntie Lucia’s recipe and we made it for her birthday celebration – with the biggest lobster we could find!

Ingredients:

Two raw or pre-cooked 600-700g lobsters

6-10 vine tomatoes, cut into halves

1 large or 2 small red onions, cut into small chunks

3 sticks of celery cut into small chunks

3 carrots, cleaned and cut into small chunks

(cut all vegetables into the same size chunks – nice and small is best)

Lemon juice

Terre Di San Vito Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Preparing the dish:

Cook the lobster in salted boiling water for about 30 minutes, then drain and leave to cool.

Cut the lobsters in half (lengthways from head to tail).

Remove the

Remove the tail meat and chop it into small chunks (slightly larger than the vegetables).

Keep the shell to serve the lobster.

Remove the black spine – it’s the poop!

Extract the meat from the claws and add it to the rest of the cut lobster pieces.

Place the lobster meat in a dish with the chopped tomatoes, onion, carrot and celery.

Remove the creamy part from the lobster head, if there are any green parts – do not throw this – add it to the mixture, it is extremely tasty (but if unsure – do not use it) and if there is any coral – keep this too. Spoon the red and green material into a sieve set over a second mixing bowl, then scrape this through the sieve into the bowl for the dressing.

Prepare the dressing

In a bowl with the creamy lobster head meat, add a pinch of salt, pepper, lemon and olive oil.

Mix until smooth and well-blended.

Now combine the cut lobster, vegetables and dressing and mix well.

To serve:

Place the lobster and vegetable mixture into the lobster shell and serve on large platters. This dish would go well with any white wine but the perfect pairing would really be a very chilled bottle of Terre Di San Vito’s Apeneste white wine.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

An incredible summer dish for two or more people

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Apeneste white wine.

MEAT & FISH

Lobster Catalana style (Astice alla Catalana)

The south of Italy is known for many incredible food specialities - especially Bari with their incredible extra virgi...

Stuffed meat rolls in a tomato sauce

Serves 6 or more

Nonna Elena’s Braciole alla Barese is one of the most loved and well-known ‘family Sunday’ dishes. It originates in Bari, Puglia and is a slow cooked, tomato sauce based meat dish that is a Sunday regular. It requires long slow cooking and can be eaten with *pasta or as a main course (secondo in Italian) with salad or vegetables. It is a very hearty meal that will satisfy any appetite.

This rich and tasty traditional braciole alla Barese recipe comes from Bari in the Southern Italian region of Puglia (Apulia). Like many similar Italian ‘Sunday sauce’ recipes’, it takes a while to cook, but the result is melt in your mouth filled beef rolls in a thick flavourful tomato sauce that are delicious (deliziosa).

Braciole are made with cheaper, thin cuts of beef with a filling of parsley, garlic, pecorino cheese and, sometimes, lardo or prosciutto. They are cooked very slowly in a tomato sauce that becomes a thick tasty ragù which has been infused with the flavour of the meat.
Our memories of growing up in an Italian family revolved around the family at the table and the center piece was the Braciole or a Pasta al Forno (recipe to come). We knew what day of the week it was by the food on the table

The origins are unclear; some say it's Neapolitan, where they often add raisins and pine nuts to the stuffing; most say it hails from Puglia, where it is served with *orecchiette pasta (Auntie Silvia’s recipe to follow). It's a staple for celebrations around Italy but we're presenting the family version from Puglia – naturally!

Ingredients:

For the braciole:

6-12 very thinly sliced beef skirt steaks or thinly cut top or bottom round roast or sirloin

6-12 pieces lardon (optional)

3-5 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped

1 handful fresh parsley finely chopped

Parmesan or pecorino cheese (Grated or finely sliced)

salt and pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce

500 g – 1 kg tomato passata rustica (this is a thick passata)

1/2 glass Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine

salt and black pepper

1 small onion

2 garlic cloves - sliced

30 g – 80g grated Pecorino or Parmesan for serving

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

Preparing the dish:

Wash and chop the parsley.

Peel and finely chop the garlic.

Cut flakes or slithers of the parmesan or pecorino (or grate the cheese).

Cut the lardo into small thin slices (if not already sliced)

Place a slice of beef on a work surface perpendicular to you. Use a meat tenderiser to flatten it until it is very thin without breaking it. (The thicker the meat the longer it will take to cook)

Season with salt and pepper, and place a piece of lardo on the beef slice.

Then to each slice, add a little chopped garlic, chopped parsley and some cheese flakes (see Uncle Franco’s pictures)

Then roll each slice up around the filling into a tight cylinder. Secure the roll with toothpicks.

Repeat with the remaining beef and filling ingredients.

In a large, heavy based pan, over a medium-high heat, add some chopped garlic, Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil and a small chopped onion. Add any extra lardo (if you are using it) and cook until the onion starts to soften and the lardo melts.

Working in batches if necessary, add the beef rolls, and cook until browned on all sides.

You will need to turn them. It takes about 6-8 minutes.

Add the wine and cook until the alcohol evaporates.

Transfer all to a large saucepan.

Add the tomato passata to the pan and a large pinch of salt and pepper.

Bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook covered for at least 1 1\2 hours or until the meat is cooked through and tender.

You will need to stir occasionally to make sure the sauce isn’t sticking. If the sauce seems watery, uncover for the last 30 minutes to reduce. If it seems too thick add some water or even better some of the pasta cooking water.

*If making this with pasta: When the braciole is almost ready. Put a pot of water on to boil for the pasta. Add a large pinch of salt once it starts to boil and then bring to the boil again. Cook the orecchiette until it is al dente (with a bite) according to the instructions on the packet. (When in the UK, I use ready made fresh orecchiette which took only 6 minutes to cook)

Keep some pasta cooking water for the sauce if you think you need it. Drain the pasta.

To serve:

If you are serving the pasta, sauce and braciole together, remove the braciole from the sauce and mix in the pasta.

Remove the toothpicks from the braciole and serve together with the pasta putting 1 or 2 braciole on each plate (I like to cut them in half).

If you want to serve the braciole separately to make 2 courses or meals out of this dish, remove the braciole and some of the sauce to another pot before adding the pasta to the remaining sauce.

Serve the pasta with extra grated parmesan or pecorino as required.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

This dish is traditionally served with orecchiette but other short pasta can be used. I would suggest penne.

This dish is traditionally served as 2 courses. The pasta with the tomato sauce and then the braciole as a main course with vegetables and bread. We like to eat it together as one plate meal!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

MEAT & FISH

Stuffed meat rolls in a tomato sauce (Braciole al sugo alla Barese)

Nonna Elena’s Braciole alla Barese is one of the most loved and well-known ‘family Sunday’ dishes. It originates in B...

Stewed octopus Serves 4

Auntie Lucia makes this dish throughout the year in Puglia as Bari is a main fishing port but primarily it is a summer dish. She has her own name for it – Polpio Luciana. It is an example of typical rustic Southern Italian comfort food. A perfect opening recipe for anyone cooking octopus at home for the first time. Auntie Lucia always places a large bowl of this in the middle of the table and serves it as a starter with crusty bread but it can also be served with green beans and sautéed courgettes for a main course - the aromas are intoxicating!

This stewed, deliciously tender octopus dish requires long, slow simmering, the longer you allow it to cook, the better this dish gets, so keep your temperature low.

Ingredients:

1 kg octopus cut into smallish pieces (ask your fishmonger to clean and cut up for you if you can!)

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 bunch fresh parsley

Extra virgin olive oil

1 large glass Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine

400g ripe or tinned tomatoes, chopped

Salt and pepper

Chile flakes

Preparing the dish:

This can be cooked in a pressure cooker or slowly in a large saucepan.

Ask your fishmonger to clean and chop the octopus into chunks and strips.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and add your chopped garlic.

Add the octopus and sauté it gently for a few minutes until it is golden then add the wine.

Bring the wine to a boil to burn off the alcohol for a couple of minutes and add the chopped tomatoes, water, a pinch of salt and pepper.

Cover with a lid and leave to cook slowly on a low heat for around an hour and a half (checking that the liquid remains - if not add a little boiling water occasionally). When cooked, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a little fresh bread as a starter.

To serve:

Place into a large serving dish, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve with a little fresh bread as a starter.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Try and get your fishmonger to clean and chop the octopus into slices

Remember the longer you cook this, the better – the octopus will become soft and tender

Can be served hot or cold

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito white wine Apeneste

MEAT & FISH

Stewed Octopus (Polpi in umido)

Auntie Lucia makes this dish throughout the year in Puglia as Bari is a main fishing port but primarily it is a summe...

(Spinach omelette)
(serves 4 or more)

The frittata di spinach (spinach omelette) is yet another way the Italians are able to repurpose leftovers and make vegetables so delicious. This dish can be eaten hot or cold (if it lasts that long!) and in our house, we serve it as part of the anti-pasta but it is great on a buffet, picnics and packed lunches!

It is moist, plump and crispy and of course, is easily adapted to whatever takes your fancy.
Sometimes we add mozzarella which gives a more cheesy, oozy centre.
You can make most things into a frittata but this spinach one, is a regular on our table.

Ingredients:

1 kg cleaned spinach (frozen spinach can also be used) cooked and chopped into large

chunks. Squeezed so all liquid is removed
200 grams Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated

1 mozarella cheese (optional)
2 crushed cloves garlic (optional)

8 – 10 eggs (or more if you want it more fluffy. My auntie Lucia uses 10 eggs and gets them fresh from the farm every day! – lucky Zia Lucia!)

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon flour
Salt

Black pepper, finely ground

Cooking tip: I am lucky to have a frittata pan I brought back from Italy many years
ago but you can use either 2 frying pans (equal size) or a plate for when it comes to

turning over the frittata.
Preparing the dish:

1. Cook and prepare the spinach (chop – not too finely) and ensure all water is removed.

Allow it to cool

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and parmesan cheese until light and fluffy.
3. Add to the egg mixture the chopped mozzarella (if using), parmesan, tablespoon of flour, spinach and crushed garlic. Stir thoroughly to combine.

4. In a large frying pan, add the olive oil so it covers the bottom of the pan and heat.
5. Once the oil is hot, add the spinach mixture. With a spatula, ensure you spread it evenly (this mixture fills my frying pan).

6. Reduce the heat to medium and fry for approx. 8-10 minutes – carefully separating the mixture slightly out from the centre to the edge so the wet mixture is getting the heat of the pan.

7. Keep moving the mixture gently or poke a fork into the frittata to allow the heat to travel through and help with an even cook.

8. Use your spatula to lift the sides of the frittata from the pan and check that the bottom is not starting to burn—that’s important.

9. After approx. 10 min or as soon as you see that most of the liquid has been absorbed and the underneath of the frittata is golden If you want to use the traditional method for flipping the frittata over, you’ll need to be careful and quick. Using a flat dish that is larger than the pan—or you can use a flat lid or your second frying pan —place one hand firmly on top of the lid and the other hand on the handle, and quickly turn the whole arrangement upside down.

10. Immediately slide the frittata—the golden-brown side will now appear on top—back into the pan to finish cooking for the last few minutes – until the underside has also turned golden.

Top tip:

Add more cheese for greater ooze!

When stored in the fridge, be sure to put your frittata in an airtight plastic container, as

water and humidity can ruin the taste.

Any greens or veggies you add into the frittata should first be sautéed, in order to eliminate

most of their water.

Cooked ham or bacon can be added too.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

Salute!

VEGETABLE DISHES

Spinach omelette (Frittata di spinaci)

The frittata di spinach (spinach omelette) is yet another way the Italians are able to repurpose leftovers and make v...

MINESTRONE PRIMAVERA

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP

serves 4 or more

A Primavera soup is the lesser known relative of the minestrone soup but so very delicious and healthy! It is packed full of wonderfully fresh, green vegetables. When Spring shows her face in Puglia, the vegetables are at their best – there is an abundance of choice and every part of the countryside, shops and city markets have a bountiful array of incredible vegetables. I love the displays of artichokes, peas, beans, asparagus and broccoli – to name just a few! Here in Puglia, seasonal eating has never gone out of fashion!

A minestrone is designed to use up the vegetables that are in season and left overs and some recipes contain meat, however, this recipe is pure fresh vegetables – keeping it light and simple and showcasing how well seasonal vegetables work together.

This is Zia Lucia’s recipe and she makes it for me whenever I’m in Bari. It does take time to prepare the fresh vegetables, but once they have all been cleaned and cut, the soup is easy peasy! Maybe that’s why she makes it – so I can help!!

For this soup, use any combination of fresh vegetables – whatever you can get your hands on. I’ve included the vegetables we grow on our estate.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons of Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for cooking

Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil for pouring when serving

1onion finely sliced

8 baby artichokes

400g broad beans (fava beans)

400g fresh peas

2 lit water or stock to cover (if not using veg stock, you will need to add a couple of vegetable stock cubes)

Salt and pepper to taste (add after stock cubes have been added so you can monitor slat level)

200g grated parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparing the dish:

Before cooking your vegetables, they need to be washed and prepared:

Baby artichokes: peel outer hard leaves. Cut the top 1/3 off the tops (they will remain hard otherwise). Cut the artichokes into ¼

If using dried broad beans: soak in tepid water then remove the thick outer skin. Fresh broad beans: simply remove from pods

Fresh peas: remove from pods

Heat the 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat

When warm, add the sliced onion and sauté for a few minutes until translucent and soft.

Add all the chopped vegetables and give them a good stir.

Now add the water/stock, a little salt and pepper and bring it to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and let it simmer for about 40 minutes or until the beans and artichokes are soft.

To serve:

Serve the soup in individual bowls and lightly drizzle some extra virgin olive oil. As an option, you can add your favourite pasta or top with grated parmesan and some freshly ground black pepper.

In Puglia and especially in our family, we always drizzle our extra-virgin olive oil over the top – it gives it an incredible flavour!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Adjust the salt and pepper to your taste – depending on whether you’ve used water or stock.

Adjust the vegetables to suit you and the season.

This will keep in the fridge for 3 days and will still taste fabulous.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

VEGETABLE DISHES

SPRING VEGETABLE SOUP (MINESTRONE PRIMAVERA)

A Primavera soup is the lesser known relative of the minestrone soup but so very delicious and healthy! It is packed ...

VEGETABLE DISHES

Beetroot Salad - Insalata di barbabietole rosse

Beetroots are one of our favourite vegetables. Not only are they naturally sweet and hearty they are also high in nut...

VEGETABLE DISHES

Fried Courgettes (Zucchine alla Poverella) Poor man’s courgettes!

This recipe of golden discs of deliciousness will be one of the easiest, traditional Apulian dishes you will find. Co...

Calzone di cipolla alla pugliese

(Puglian Onion Pie)

We love this traditional Apulian dish. Calzone di cipolla, or Puglian onion pie, is one of the signature dishes of the cuisine of Puglia. Zia Silvia, the eldest sister of our dad Michele and Zio Franco made this pie her specialty. We’ve been eating this dish all our lives and until now, Zia Silvia has kept her recipe a secret!

Since onions are the ‘star of the show’, the choice of onion mayl affect the end result so chose carefully. In Puglia, the most favoured choices are cipolle rosse di Acquaviva delle Fonti, a very sweet red onion but I’ve made it with the large onions from the local greengrocer and it was still delicious!

Ingredients:

For the filling:

2kg large onions, sliced from top to bottom

Terre di san vito extra virgin olive olive oil

Salt and pepper

A handful of pitted black or green olives (or more if you like them!)The traditional recipe uses black olives

6-10 cherry tomatoes cut in half

2 teaspoons Ricotta Forte (a strong ricotta cheese – not the usual ricotta!) If you cannot get hold of this, replace with grated pecorino cheese.

100g grated Pecorino cheese

100g coppa/pancetta thinly sliced (not the raw cubes of pancetta – the one that is a salami)

Pizza dough. If using shop bought, buy 2 discs (one for the top, one for the base)

Preparing the dish:

(If making your own pizza dough, do this now so it has time to prove)

Clean and slice the onions

Bring to the boil a saucepan of water with a good pinch of salt added

Once the water comes to the boil, add your sliced onions and cook for around 30 min or until your onions are cooked

Drain the onions

In a frying pan, add about 2 tablespoons of tdsv extra virgin olive oil, the drained onions and the halved tomatoes and cook on a medium heat until all the water from the tomatoes and onions has evaporated – the onions should be golden

Leave mixture to cool

Add the ricotta forte and pecorino to the cooled mixture

Assembling the pie:

Add one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to the base of your baking tin (pie dish approx. 23cm depending on how much pizza dough you have made!)Use one disc of your shop bought pizza dough or 2/3 of your home made dough rolled out to fit the base and sides of your chosen baking dish

Add the cooled onion mixture

Add a your olives

Finely slice your pancetta/coppa and layer over the olives and onions

Add a swirl of TDSV extra virgin olive oil over the filling

Seal your pie with the dough lid

Make sure the edges are sealed then make a hole in the centre of the pie with your finger or with a knife (Zia Lucia always uses her finger!)

Prick the pie with a fork so the top has the small fork indentations

Mix 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with 2 tablespoons of water together until it becomes an emulsion

Sprinkle/brush the oil/water emulsion over the top of the pie

Place your pie in a pre-heated oven (180° C, 375°) for approx. 40-60 minutes or until golden

To serve:

Allow the pie to cool before serving. You can eat it warm (not hot) but, to my taste, the pie is much better at room temperature—and it tastes even better the day after you make it – if you can wait that long!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

Buon appetito!

VEGETABLE DISHES

Onion Pie (Calzone di cipolla alla pugliese)

We love this traditional Apulian dish. Calzone di cipolla, or Puglian onion pie, is one of the signature dishes of th...

Puglian fried Artichokes

(serves 6)

This is a dish you absolutely must try! It is one of our ‘Top Five’ favourite vegetables! As you know, Puglian cuisine is famous for its use of fresh seasonal vegetables and this is the season for artichokes. The beautiful and tasty baby artichokes you find all around Italy are used in so many different ways (have you tried our stuffed artichoke recipe?).

These small spheres of crispy deliciousness are well worth the calories!

Not only are they delicious to eat, they have an incredible amount of health benefits for the body: It is a diuretic vegetable, has excellent nutritional value, aids digestion, strengthens the liver, the gall bladder, and reduces cholesterol levels.

This dish can be served as a starter, main course or on the side. But do not be fooled, it is so delicious; it will be the main attraction, hot or cold and gone in a flash!

Ingredients (adapt to fit amount of artichokes being used)

12 baby artichokes
10 eggs
10 tablespoons flour (any type)
2 lemons
100g parmesan cheese
100g pecorino cheese ( or 200g in total of Parmesan if Pecorino difficult to find)
Salt for seasoning
Sunflower oil for frying
Plastic bag for coating

TOP TIP:

Use gloves when cleaning the artichokes as when you begin to clean them, they will stain your fingers!

Preparing the artichokes:

Clean and wash the artichokes.

Prepare a large bowl with cold water, the lemons squeezed and put into the water and 2 tablespoons of flour. This will keep the artichokes from discolouring.

Remove the outer leaves (the hardest ones) and cut off the upper part (approx. 1/3 of the artichoke - the tops where it is a bit like thorns).

It looks like you are wasting a lot but this part of the vegetable is very hard and is not needed.

Cut the stem off and trim it to remove the outer stringy bits – just like you would clean celery and put into the bowl with the water.

Slice each artichoke from the base to the tip (you should get approx. 3 slices per artichoke) and immediately place into the bowl of water.

Preparing the batter:

In another bowl, prepare the batter by mixing the eggs, parmesan and pecorino together. You should have the consistency of a very thick batter.

Bringing the dish together:

Empty the bowl of water and rinse all the trimmed artichokes so that they are free of the flour/lemon water. Dry them on a kitchen towel/cloth.

Put the remainder of the flour into the plastic bag and add a handful of the artichokes. Shake the bag so that they are all lightly coated in the flour then one by one, remove excess flour and place them into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture.

Heat a large frying pan with sunflower oil (approx. 3cm oil)

Using a fork, turn each artichoke in the egg batter mixture so they are well coated.

Carefully place an artichoke into the hot oil and spoon extra mixture onto it. Do this until your pan is full but do not over-fill it.

Continue to place your floured and battered artichokes into the hot oil – making sure you add extra batter to each one.

After a minute or two, when golden, turn the artichokes.

When both sides are golden, remove and place on an absorbent kitchen towel.

When all the artichokes have been fried and drained, add a light sprinkling of salt – but not too much as the parmesan and pecorino are salty.

Then serve these delicious, golden nuggets of deliciousness – hot or cold to your family and friends.

Buon appetito!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rosé wine.

Top tips:

Wear gloves when cleaning the artichokes.
Use mini, baby artichokes, not the large globe artichoke as they do not have the fibrous ‘choke’ in the heart.
This dish can be eaten, hot or cold.

Fried Artichokes from terre di san vito

VEGETABLE DISHES

Fried Artichokes (Carciofi fritti)

This is a dish you absolutely must try! It is one of our ‘Top Five’ favourite vegetables! As you know, Puglian cuisin...

PLUGLIAN STUFFED COURGETTE FLOWERS

Fried courgette flowers are a traditional ‘Cucina Povera’ type of recipe throughout Italy where the most basic of ingredients are used (the fresh flowers of the courgette)and the result is nothing short of delicious (deliziosa)!

They fall under this category of ‘Cucina Povera’ because most people would grow their own vegetables and then use the milk from their cows (or that of their neighbours) to make the cheese!

Each region of the Italian Peninsula has its own version of this most delicately flavoured traditional recipe but this one, from Zia Lucia is wonderfully simple and delicious. Stuffed courgette flowers are crisp little morsels with a tantalising filling, mostly served as a starter to a sophisticated dinner but here on the farm and in Bari, they are a seasonal must-have!

Courgette flowers grow on the marrow plant but are usually available on market stalls in the Spring and Summer, when they have to be picked to prevent the fruit from becoming too large.

I’ve only just arrived here on the Terre Di San Vito land – the first time back in two years thanks to the pandemic but I’m here now! Driving on to the estate, my cousin Giovanni (wine tasting expert) points out the courgettes are flowering. ‘Oh, we could ask mamma to make stuffed courgette flowers for lunch?’ I could taste them before they had even been picked!

In Italy, markets sell the whole of the plant – the courgette and the flower. I know in the UK and USA they are more difficult to find, except at farmer’s markets and quite expensive but this recipe really is worth a try and if you have been growing your own recently – even better! We use the female flower as they are smaller (the male one we use when deep frying in a batter!)

Zia Lucia’s recipe can be used as a starter or on a special occasion as a canapé!

Ingredients

12 Courgette flowers

250g fresh ricotta cheese

50g grated Parmigiano Reggiano

3 eggs

250g fresh breadcrumbs

Handful mint (freshly chopped)

Salt

Pepper

Oil for frying, such as sunflower oil

Preparing the dish

The success of this recipe for stuffed courgette flowers (Fiori di zucchine ripieni ) primarily depends on the freshness of the flower and its lacy crispness, that is to say, it must never be frazzled but perfectly fried to preserve the light and delicate flavour of this marvellous blossom. Watch out on the amount of mint too – don’t overdo it!

The stuffing mix

Wash the courgette flowers very gently under cold running water.

Carefully remove the hard pistil from inside the flower by pinching it off. It’s okay if they tear a little or you open them completely because it’s easier to make sure there’s no dirt or bugs inside this way!

Place the flowers on a clean tea towel or kitchen roll to dry.

In a bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, grated Parmigiano Reggiano chopped mint and one egg to obtain a smooth, soft cream.

Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Stuffing the flowers

Carefully open the flower petals and using a teaspoon of mixture at a time, start to fill the inner cavity.

Take great care not to overfill the flower or it will burst during frying.

Close the tips of the petals by twisting the tops so that the filling remains in place and set them aside for frying.

In a shallow bowl, beat the remaining two eggs and on a separate spread the breadcrumbs.

Carefully roll each stuffed flower in the egg then into the breadcrumbs so each one has a light coating.

Put on a plate ready for frying.

Frying the flowers

The courgette flowers can be deep or shallow fried.

Put your frying pan containing the sunflower oil on to heat to around180°C and heat your oven.

Check the oil is hot but not smouldering by adding a few of the breadcrumbs – when they sizzle the oil is ready to use.

Fry the flowers a few at a time for about 3 minutes turning until crisp and light brown all over.

Drain on kitchen paper and keep hot in the oven while cooking the rest of the batches.

To serve the stuffed courgette flowers

The flowers can be served warm or cold. Add a light sprinkling of salt.

They make a delicious starter or canapé. Because in the UK they are difficult to find and usually quite expensive, serve them on special occasions or when you want to share the love!

Our Terre Di San Vito Sparkling Brut white wine, chilled, is the perfect pairing for this dish.

Buon appetito e salutè!

Top tips:

The courgette flowers can be coated in breadcrumbs or in a light batter.

They can be served hot or cold.

Courgette flowers can also be served in a risotto (recipe to follow this summer)

Take care not to over do the mint – best to start with a small amount.

VEGETABLE DISHES

STUFFED COURGETTE FLOWERS (FIORI DI ZUCCHINE RIPIENI )

Fried courgette flowers are a traditional ‘Cucina Povera’ type of recipe throughout Italy where the most basic of ing...

Finocchi Gratinati Pugliesi

Apulia is one of the Italian regions with the highest incidence of organic agriculture.

This week on our family farm, it is the time to harvest our Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare also Foeniculum officinale). It is a sweet aromatic herb of the Apiaceae family, which includes carrots and parsley that grows like a weed throughout the Mediterranean and flourishes on our family farm. It’s not surprising then that its bulb, seeds, pollen and fronds are key ingredients in some of the most delicious southern European cuisine. Also, fennel has amazing medicinal qualities that make it one of the most sought after herbs for those who are health conscious.

Fennel seeds are perfect blended with ground pork then stuffed into casings for sausages and salami but they are equally tasty in dolci like cookies, sweet breads and cakes. Having originated in Puglia—the ‘heel’ of Italy, home to over 60 million olive trees, some thousands of years old—the very best savory taralli taste of little more than good olive oil, lots of salt, and often seasoned with fennel seed or coarsely ground black pepper, the two most classic flavours.

Its liquorice-like flavour stands out and makes it a great complement to fish and hearty meats but it can be simply sliced, sprinkled with olive oil, lemon and salt for a salad. This can be an unctuous side dish or a starter in its own right, quick and simple to make, it is a perfect recipe from our family archive.

Ingredients

4 fennel bulbs

Terre Di San Vito’s Extra virgin olive oil

12 anchovy fillets (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

75g grated parmesan

75g fine breadcrumbs

Preparing the dish:

Trim the bases of the fennel bulbs and cut off the top stalks and fronds

Cut the bulbs lengthways through the base in thick slices 0.5-1cm thick.

Wash the fennel slices.

Heat a tablespoon of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil in a large, heavy based frying pan over medium-high heat.

(Alternatively, the fennel can be steamed until soft)

When the oil shimmers, lay the fennel wedges in the pan. They should sizzle.

When the slices are lightly browned on one side, flip them over with tongs and very lightly colour the other side until they are just cooked through (but not mushy).

In a bowl mix together the Parmesan and breadcrumbs.

Sprinkle a handful of the breadcrumb mixture over the base of your oven dish.

Lay half the fennel slices in an ovenproof gratin dish and then season with a pinch of salt or cut the anchovies in half lengthways and distribute them over the fennel in the dish, then cover with the remaining fennel slices.

Season with Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

Sprinkle the remaining cheese and breadcrumb mixture over the top.

Bake in a pre-heated oven the oven at 180 ° for about 15 minutes or until the surface is golden.

To serve

This is an incredibly versatile dish. Serve as a side dish or as a main course.

Buon appetito!

Serve our Finocchi Gratinati Pugliesi with an ice-cold bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

VEGETABLE DISHES

BAKED FENNEL (PUGLIAN FENNEL GRATIN)

Apulia is one of the Italian regions with the highest incidence of organic agriculture. Fennel seeds are perfect blen...

Puglian parsley pesto

Puglia is known as the vegetable garden of Italy and on our organic land at Terre Di San Vito, vegetables of all kinds grow in abundance. From our ancestors, we have inherited the art of preserving vegetables, and enhancing their flavours with our incredible Apulian extra virgin olive oil.

When we talk about pesto, we immediately think of pesto alla Genovese (basil pesto). But the concept of pesto, in a broad sense, simply refers to a set of ingredients that have been crushed, presumably in a mortar, with the help of a pestle and is a recipe handed down since Roman times.

Having said that, it is clear that there is not only one type of pesto. By using your imagination, you can prepare different types of pesto depending on the season and what your taste buds are calling out for. Puglia has an encyclopaedia of recipes with herbs while maintaining the Italian gastronomic tradition of using the 6 key ingredients for pesto.

In Puglia and on the organic land of Terre Di San Vito farm, ingredients are not lacking. Apulian dried tomatoes, Apulian vegetables, our incredible Apulian almonds, and then of course we have our artichokes and olives – all "pestable" and finely workable ingredients for delicious, seasonal pestos.
This week on the farm, we are harvesting our wonderfully organic parsley. If you have some parsley in your garden or in a pot on your window ledge, use it to make this famous sauce which has more uses than you may think! (see serving tips below)

Ingredients

100g fresh parsley

2 garlic cloves

60g grated parmigiana reggiano or pecorino (or a mix of both)

50g pine nuts (or almonds or walnuts)

120ml Terre Di San Vito extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Preparing the dish:

There are three possible methods for preparing this dish: Chopping by hand, using a pestle and mortar or using a blender – feel free to use the one that best suits you!

The original method: In a pestle and mortar

Put the garlic into a mortar and pound with the pestle until smooth.

Add the pine nuts and pound until they are roughly crushed.

Add the parsley and continue to pound and mash, bruising the leaves, until it starts to form a paste.

Turn the mixture into a bowl and stir through the grated Parmesan/Pecorino.

Slowly pour in some of the oil and mix to a thick paste.

Continue adding the extra virgin olive oil until mixture has loosened to a more juicy paste.

Taste the mixture and add seasoning if you feel it is required.

Do not add salt until you have finished mixing the paste as the parmesan and pecorino is salty.

Method 2: Using a blender

Put the garlic into the blender and pulse.

Add the pine nuts and pulse again until roughly chopped (be careful not to over-process).

Add the parsley and pulse carefully until it is well mixed but still very textured.

Turn into a bowl and stir in the Parmesan or Pecorino.

Pour in the extra virgin olive oil, mixing to a juicy paste.

Season to taste.

Method : Chopping by hand

On a chopping board, chop the parsley, pine nuts and garlic with a sharp knife or mezzaluna.

When chopped to a fine consistency, transfer to a mixing bowl.

Gently pour in the olive oil and mix to combine.

Add the Parmesan or pecorino.

To serve

This is an incredibly versatile dish. Try using your freshly made pesto in any of these ways – or please, email us with any dishes you have made with this recipe.

Mix with your favourite pasta

Mix with pasta, a tin of tuna and fresh tomatoes for a great salad

Spoon over any white, filleted fish. Place in the oven – delicious!

Use as a dip with crostini

Spoon over roasted veg

Smear into a ciabatta and place in the oven for an alternative to garlic bread

In a toasted mozzarella, pesto and tomato sandwhich

Stuff chicken breast with any flavour pesto and bake

As a topping on your favourite pizza

Add a spoonful into a veg soup – gives it a great lift!

Delicious spooned over a poached egg

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

You can substitute the parsley for: basil, artichokes, sundried tomatoes, olives or most fresh green herbs.

The pine nuts can be changed to almonds or walnuts.

Add the salt at the end as the parmesan and pecorino are salty cheeses

Increase the quantities and store in an airtight jar (ensure the mixture is covered with olive oil to help preserve it)

Serve our Pesto di prezzemolo Pugliese with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Mosi rose wine.

VEGETABLE DISHES

Puglian parsley pesto (PESTO DI PREZZEMOLO PUGLIESE)

Puglia is known as the vegetable garden of Italy and on our organic land at Terre Di San Vito, vegetables of all kind...

Fava Bean Purée with chicory

(Fave e cicoria)

Serves 4

Auntie Lucia regularly makes this healthy soul-satisfying vegan dish. It captures the best of the Mediterranean diet in both simplicity and flavour. It is a traditional plant-based Pugliese dish and is easy to make. Known in Italy as fave e cicoria, it is a fava bean puree with sautéed, wild chicory greens. Fava beans are a staple of Puglia, and the chicory plant grows freely in the fields, so it is easy to find all year round. The Mediterranean diet focuses a lot on plant-based foods such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils and peas, nuts and seeds and of course fish – it doesn’t really consume large portions of red meat.

In Puglia, the cucina povera tradition (literally meaning poor kitchen) celebrates the art of making great food with simple, yet high quality, mostly plant based, seasonal ingredients. These were the type of meals our grandmother would prepare regularly. Our family was typical for that time: eleven children and all living in 2 rooms in the old town of Bari. Money was very tight but somehow, between all of them, they made it work and enjoyed family meals together. There was of course the countryside where they could grow some fruit and vegetables but it wasn’t easy to get there in those days.

Unlike here in the UK where we grab a quick sandwich or pop something into the microwave, in Puglia, many people still follow the traditions of closing their shops and offices at lunchtime and either going home or to a restaurant for a freshly cooked meal. One tradition that in my opinion, we could well do with over here. It would go a long way towards improving our general wellbeing.

Shopping tip: Wild chicory greens can be difficult to find in the UK. A good alternative would be greens that have a bitter taste such as: dandelion leaves, kale or turnip tops.

The slightly bitter greens are a perfect complement to the sweet, creamy flavour of the pureed fava beans. It really is a marriage of two perfect textures and flavours.

Ingredients:

400g dried Fava beans without skins

1kg chicory

1 small onion (or 2 cloves of garlic), finely sliced

1 medium potato cut into half

salt & pepper

Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil

slices of toasted or fried bread/taralli for serving

Preparing the beans:

First wash the dried fava beans well. Cover them with at least two inches of water above the beans and soak them in water for an hour before use or follow the instructions on the packet.

Drain the beans.

In a large saucepan, add the fava beans and enough water to cover them by at least 1 inch, the chopped onion/garlic, a large pinch of salt and simmer, stirring from time to time.

Cook the beans for approx. 1 ½ - 2 hours or until soft.

When the beans are beginning to soften, add the halved potato to the simmering pot.

Once the beans and potato have softened and are cooked, most of the water should have been absorbed, stir them with a wooden spoon to reduce them to a puree.

Preparing the greens:

While the fava beans are simmering, wash the chicory, trim the stems by around one inch. Clean well and cut in half lengthwise if the leaves are really long, then place them in to a large saucepan.

Season lightly with salt and cook until the leaves and stalks are soft.

Turn off the heat and keep them warm.

To serve:

While the beans are still warm, having stirred them into a puree, if they are still lumpy, do give them a mash – add a little extra virgin olive oil or a little of the water from the pan with the chicory so that the fava beans are smooth and creamy.

Spoon the blended fava beans into a shallow bowl or serving dish, arrange the cooked chicory in a mound in the centre or the side of the dish.

Serve with toasted bread or taralli, salt & pepper as desired and always with a drizzle of Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Purè di Fave e Cicoria can also be enjoyed as a fava bean dip appetizer.

Use the best quality extra virgin Italian olive oil you can find and afford.

Adding a peeled potato to the fava beans at the end of the cooking process helps to make the fava bean puree extra creamy, the key to the success of this dish.

Dandelion greens, kale, rape or turnip tops are a great substitute for chicory and they offer potential health benefits including helping to fight inflammation, aiding blood sugar control and boosting the immune system.

This recipe is meant to be served as soon as it’s been made.

Leftovers can be reheated in the microwave – just add a little water to help keep its creamy texture.

Always serve this with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

VEGETABLE DISHES

Fava Bean Purée with chicory (Fave e cicoria)

Auntie Lucia regularly makes this healthy soul-satisfying vegan dish. It captures the best of the Mediterranean diet ...

Puglian Stuffed Artichokes

(serves 4)

Apulian cuisine is famous for its authentic and traditional use of fresh, seasonal vegetables and winter is no exception to the rule. One of the tastiest dishes around at this time of year is the mighty artichoke. Not only are they delicious to eat, they have an incredible amount of health benefits for the body: It is a diuretic vegetable, has excellent nutritional value, aids digestion, strengthens the liver, the gall bladder, and reduces cholesterol levels.

What more could you ask for? Our family farm in Puglia is truly rich in vegetables and the endless, mouth-watering recipes we have up our sleeve will have you booking the next flight out! As soon as the family see the artichokes growing, the word is spread around. Everyone has their eyes on them because they know, as soon as our team on the farm begin picking them, my auntie Lucia is ready to cook them! So, until we can all get out to eat at my auntie Lucia’s house in Puglia, here’s one of her best and most frequently made family recipes ever – of course following the Apulian tradition – the stuffed artichoke!

This dish can be served as a starter, main course or on the side. But do not be fooled, it is so delicious; it will be the main attraction!

Ingredients:

- 4 mini artichokes

- 200g grated Parmesan cheese

- 100g Pecorino cheese

(Use 300g Parmesan if you cannot find Pecorino)

- 1 large / 2 small eggs

- 1 minced clove of garlic

- 1 handful of parsley finely chopped

- pinch of salt and pepper

- Terre Di San Vito’s extra virgin olive oil.

TOP TIP:

Use gloves when cleaning the artichokes as when you begin to clean them, they will stain your fingers!

Preparing the artichokes:

Clean and wash the artichokes.

Remove the outer leaves (the hardest ones) and cut off the upper part (the tops where it is a bit like thorns).

It looks like you are wasting a lot but this part of the vegetable is very hard and is not needed.

Cut the stem and off, trim it (bark) to remove the outer stringy bits – just like you would clean celery.

Then put everything into a bowl with cold water and a squeeze of lemon. This will keep them from discolouring.

Preparing the stuffing:

In another bowl, prepare the filling by mixing all the ingredients together. Once completely mixed, add a couple of tablespoons of our delicious olive oil so that it is the consistency of a very thick batter. Open the artichoke by spreading the centre rose with your hands and fill generously with the prepared cheese mixture.

Finally, use a medium sized saucepan, filled to half the height of your artichoke. Do not add too much water – you DO NOT want the water to cover the artichoke or it will wash away the stuffing.

Add a tablespoon of salt and bring to the boil.

As soon as the water begins to boil, add a drizzle of olive oil and carefully place the artichokes vertically (upright), so that the open end with the filling is facing up.

Fit them close to each other so that they remain standing. Add the stems.

Cover and cook over a low heat for about half an hour. Add more water when you see it evaporating.

Cook for a total of 1 hour or until the artichoke stems are cooked through – test by prodding with a knife.

Serve on a deep plate with a little of the cooking liquid, the stalks and of course, a final drizzle of our extra virgin olive oil and some crusty bread. Delicious – Buon appetito!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

Top tips:

Do not overfill your saucepan with water – it must not cover the artichokes

Use mini, baby artichokes, not the large globe artichoke as they do not have the fibrous ‘choke’ in the heart.

This dish can be eaten, hot, warm or cold.

Keep refrigerated once cooled.

Wear gloves when cleaning the artichokes.

VEGETABLE DISHES

Stuffed Artichokes (Carciofi ripieni)

Apulian cuisine is famous for its authentic and traditional use of fresh, seasonal vegetables and winter is no except...

(A pistachio flavoured version of the famous ‘pick-me-up’ Italian desert!)

Serves 8 (approx.)

The creamy, delicious, world-famous desert has a new brother! Pistachio
has had a rebirth and is a perfectly delicious addition to the Tiramisu
family. This gloriously no-bake dessert is perfectly balanced with luscious mascarpone cream and smooth pistachio cream!

Pistachios are delicious and now you can find them everywhere – how wonderful!
Using crushed pistachios and the cream of pistachio is the perfect combination in our tiramisu. A

decadent, luxurious desert – any time of the year

Ingredients:
2 eggs (room temperature)
100g caster sugar
500g mascarpone

Amaretto di saronno liqueur (approx 75ml or more. We like it strong!)
Approx 36 savoiardi biscuits (sometimes called lady fingers. 2 packets)

3 tablespoons pistachio cream
200ml strong black coffee
25-50g crushed pistachios

Preparing the dish:
Make the base cream mixture:
Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
Whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, mascarpone and sugar until pale and thick.

Then add the egg white mixture to the mascarpone mixture.
Add 2 tablespoons of the pistachio cream to this mixture and incorporate well.

Make the coffee mixture:
Make your strong black coffee

Add 1 tablespoon of the pistachio cream to the coffee mixture
Add the amaretto and stir well so there are no lumps of the pistachio cream.

Putting your desert together:
Have your deep serving dish approx 30x10cm ready.

Cover the base of your dish with the savoiardi biscuits – ensuring there are no gaps. Slowly
pour/coat each biscuit with the coffee mixture. Wait a minute for the biscuits to absorb the

liquid then add a little more if not all coated.
(not too much or it will be too soggy)

Spoon 1/2 of the cheese/pistachio mixture over the coated biscuits.

Ensure you have smoothed the cream mixture to the edge of the dish to seal the 1 st layer.

Add a second layer of the biscuits, again ensuring there are no gaps.
Add the remaining ½ of the cheese mixture, covering and sealing the layer.
Then top this with the crushed pistachios – sprinkle of make a pattern!

Place your pistachio tiramisu in the fridge for at least 4 hours – even better if left over night.

To serve:

Place on the table and scoop into dishes and serve!
An incredibly rich, delicious desert!
Buon appetito!
Top tip:

This can be made up to 2 days in advance
It can also be made in individual glasses
Remove the alcohol if you prefer an alcohol free version.
Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste

Desserts

Pistachio Tiramisu

The creamy, delicious, world-famous desert has a new brother! Pistachiohas had a rebirth and is a perfectly delicious...

Apricot Tart

Crostata di albicocche

(Apricot almond tart) serves 6

Our apricot tart is a true taste of summer from our family’s estate in Puglia, where we’re lucky to have apricot trees that give the sweetest fruits. I first shared this recipe with Zia Lucia in Italy and it quickly became a favorite. Each year, we make the most of our abundant harvest, turning those perfectly ripe apricots into this irresistible, homemade tart. Zia Lucia loves to serve it as a special treat, and it’s now a regular in our kitchen every apricot season! It’s the perfect way it capture the essence of our farm and bring a little piece of Puglia to your table.

This apricot tart is a really simple and delicious recipe. Nothing beats a homemade apricot tart.

Especially when it is made with fresh apricots. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the sweet shortcrust pastry:
Buy ready-made or:

This makes a large, 32cm flan or two 24cm
Use a loose bottom flan tin if possible
175g (6oz) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
75g (3oz) cold butter, cubed
25g (1oz) caster sugar
1 egg, beaten

For the filling:

125g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

125g caster sugar
25g plain flour
125g ground almonds
1 large free-range egg, beaten

4- 8 large apricots, washed, pitted and halved (however many will fit into your tart case!)

60ml (4 tbsp) apricot jam

To make the pastry:

Put the flour and unsalted butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles

fine breadcrumbs
Mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt

Add the egg and mix well but not over mixing as the pastry will become tough

If it is dry, add a tablespoon of water

Form into a ball and place into the fridge for about 30 min.

Preparing the tart:
Preheat your oven to 150ºC.

Grease your chosen loose bottom (if possible) flan tin
Roll out the pastry – to the thickness of a £1 coin and place in the tin.

Aim to have a little overhanging pastry.
Prick the base of the pastry all over with a fork.

Line the pastry with greaseproof paper and fill with ceramic baking beans or uncooked rice.

Blind bake the pastry in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Remove the paper and beans, then return the pastry to the oven to cook for another 5 minutes.

When cooked, trim the excess pastry level with the top of the tin.

Set aside to cool.

Reduce the oven’s temperature to 150°C/130°C

To make the filling:

For the frangipane filling, cream the butter, sugar, flour and almonds together in a food mixer.
Slowly pour in the egg, while the machine is running, mixing until the ingredients are fully

incorporated.

Rest the frangipane for 5 minutes.

Pour the filling into the pastry case and spread it evenly.

Wash the apricots, cut them in half and remove the pip.

Arrange the apricot halves on top of the filling, skin side up, covering the frangipane.

Bake for 30 – 40 minutes or until golden

While the tart is still warm, heat the apricot jam and brush the tart all over with it.

To serve:

Let the tart cool down for a few minutes, then remove it from the tin, slice and serve!

Buon appetito!
Top tip:

• If you don’t have a food processor you can rub the flour and butter with your fingertips.

You can use jae or canned apricots if fresh apricots aren’t in season. Just make sure you dry

each one carefully before placing it on the filling.

Use the recipe and exchange the cherries for apples, pears, rhubarb, plums or berries.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

Desserts

Apricot Tart (Crostata di albicocche)

Our apricot tart is a true taste of summer from our family’s estate in Puglia, where we’re lucky to have apricot tree...

Panna cotta all'arancia rossa

(Blood orange panna cotta)

Serves 8-10

This is our auntie Angela’s famous blood orange panna cotta. Originally this delicious desert came from the Piemonte region of Italy but it is a classic Italian dish and can be flavoured with just about anything – sweet or savoury – you can let your imagination go wild! The translation of the name is cooked (cotta) cream (panna) and the classic Italian panna cotta is usually flavoured just with vanilla and served with fresh summer fruits.

However, Zia Angela’s adaptation on the basic recipe using the incredibly tasty blood oranges that grow in abundance in the south of Italy and around our family farm, is the perfect marriage to the smooth cream. It is easy to make and tastes incredible!

We are proud to say that the Italians are Europe's number one consumers of fresh fruit.

Sicily being the national top producing region for blood oranges with around 54% of the total national production followed by Calabria, Basilicata, Puglia and Sardinia. The Arancia Rossa has a low sugar level and is rich in vitamins (C, B1, B2, A), great for the digestive and metabolic systems; its antioxidants (anthocyanins) help prevent infections and colds.

Zia Angela has blended the beautifully fragrant taste and colour of the blood oranges with the smooth cream of the panna cotta. In the South of Italy, you can find these incredible oranges from December to April. In Puglia, I can get this made for me all year round – with different toppings of course!

Ingredients:

237 ml blood orange Juice

Zest of 3 blood oranges

1 1/2 Tablespoons of powdered gelatine

600 ml double cream

500 ml whole milk

100g sugar

1 Teaspoon orange extract

Blood orange syrup:

675 ml fresh blood orange Juice

128g sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons grated blood orange peel

Preparing the panna cotta:

Place the orange juice in a small bowl and sprinkle the gelatine over the top.

Stir to mix and set aside to soften for 2 to 3 minutes.

In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, sugar and blood orange zest, and bring to a simmer over a medium heat.

Remove from heat, and whisk in the softened gelatine and the orange extract.

Set the saucepan in a bowl of ice and whisk until the mixture is at room temperature.

If you would like, strain the mixture into a large measuring cup or bowl with a pouring spout – we like it with the zest!

Place the bowl with the mixture in the ice bath and allow it to cool to room temperature.

Pour the mixture into your individual glasses and chill for at least 6 hours or overnight.

To make the syrup:

Stir together the syrup ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves.

Increase the heat to high, and boil until the syrup has reduced to about half, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.

Refrigerate until cold.

Pour into the glass with the panna cotta and let it set in the fridge for a few hours. If you want this as more of a jelly, add a teaspoon of gelatine to the mixture while it is warm then it will set while in the fridge.

To serve:

Add a couple of blood orange segments on the top too – if you like.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Take out your panna cotta about an hour before serving so they reach room temperature.

You can add the sauce to the bottom of a ramekin or small dish, then add the panna cotta mixture on top. This will need to be refrigerated for 6 hours. Turn out onto a plate and serve with some orange segments and a biscuit on the side.

Add Aperol or red wine or your favourite tipple for an adult variation – you will need to add some gelatine to the syrup mixture so that the alcohol sets.
Cheats way: instead of making the syrup, use your favourite jelly – instead of adding water, add the blood orange juice – delicious!

Desserts

Blood Orange Panna Cotta

This is our auntie Angela’s famous blood orange panna cotta. Originally this delicious desert came from the Piemonte ...

Zuccotto di Panettone

Panettone ricotta Christmas cake

Zuccotto, originally a Tuscan pudding made with a plain sponge known as Pan di Spagna and ricotta. However, recipes are adapted around the country and in some recipes you will find have a filling of ice cream but in Puglia, we love our version using ricotta cheese, candied fruit and Panettone – It is a Christmas staple and so very delicious!

Adapt it for your particular taste by adding or changing the fruit and nuts and of course, you decide on the alcohol!

Ingredients:

700g (approx.) Panettone, cut into 2 round discs and the rest into slices lengthways 2.5cm thick
1Kg ricotta cheese
140g icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (and some extra for dusting)
50g dark chocolate, grated or chocolate chips
70g mixed candied fruit – finely chopped (any candied fruit you like – I add some dried cranberries too)
50g Flaked almonds

170 ml Vin Santo or Marsala (you can use Amaretto, Martini Bianco or a Rum but I used amaretto Disaronno!!)
1.5 litre capacity bowl to use as a mould (mine was 16cm diameter)

Decoration (optional): Orange zest, cocoa, chocolate sauce, icing sugar or extra thick double cream and fruit.

Preparing the dish:

In a bowl, mix half the ricotta with 70g of sugar until creamy, fold in 35g of candied fruit, 25g of flaked almonds and 25g of the grated chocolate or chocolate chips and mix until all well amalgamated. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the remaining ricotta with the remaining sugar, add cocoa powder and the grated chocolate or chocolate chips and mix until creamy.
Stir in the remaining candied fruit, flaked almonds. Set aside.
Line the pudding basin or bowl with cling film leaving quite a bit of excess around the edges. Line with the slices of panettone and with the help of a pastry brush, brush about three quarters of your chosen alcohol (for me, that’s Amaretto) onto the cake slices. Press down on the sides and base to secure them.
Fill your lined bowl with the white ricotta mixture which should fill half the pudding basin.
Take one of the round panettone discs and place over the top pressing gently and brush with some of the alcohol.
On top of the panetton disc, add the chocolate ricotta mixture and cover with the last of the panettone, drizzling with the remaining alcohol.
Bring up the overhang of cling film and seal the pudding.
Place a weight on top of the pudding - I used a plate then a jar of our extra virgin olive oil!
Place in the fridge for at least six hours or overnight.
Remove from the fridge and take off the weights and the cling film from the top.
Turn upside-down onto your serving plate.
Carefully remove the pudding basin and peel off the cling film.
Dust all over with lots of sieved cocoa powder.
Decorate with orange zest and serve

To serve:

Bring the desert to the table and slice!

Buon Natale and buon appetito!

Top tip:

If there is any left over, I always put it back into the bowl to help keep the dome structure – make sure you have re-lined it with cling film

Keep in the fridge as it does contain cheese

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Primitivo red wine, our sparkling Brut or one of our homemade liqueurs (see recipe section)

Desserts

Panettone ricotta Christmas cake (Zuccotto di Panettone)

Zuccotto, originally a Tuscan pudding made with a plain sponge known as Pan di Spagna and ricotta. However, recipes a...

Gelato Malaga

Rum & Raisin ice cream

A boozy, easy, delicious ice cream! My family love this wonderful ice cream – it brings back such incredible memories of when we were children in the 1980’s, a very special treat - going to the ‘Gelateria’ overlooking the main beach in Bari!

It was originally made with raisins from Malaga and of course a dark rum, hence the name Rum n Raisin or gelato Malaga! It was incredibly popular in Italy for many years and for a while, in the UK too. But for the past 20 years, it’s become more and more difficult to find it here – but not in Italy! This is an easy to make recipe and you don’t need an ice cream machine!!

TIP: If you have time, soak the raisins for 24 hours before making the ice cream otherwise, place the raisins in a small pan, add the rum and heat carefully. Once the rum is warm, turn heat off and leave raisins to soak for 30 min.

Do not use more that 60ml rum in your ice cream as it will not set – I’ve tried it!

Ingredients:

SOAKED RAISINS:

300g raisins

125ml dark rum

ICE CREAM:

X1 395g can of condensed milk

60ml dark rum

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/8 tsp allspice powder

500ml double cream

Preparing the dish:

Place your raisins in a jar or tupperware container – with a lid. Add 125ml dark rum and allow them to soak for at least 24 hours – turning every now and then so all liquid is absorbed. The raisins will absorb most of the rum – the excess you can use in your ice cream.

Mix together the vanilla, 60ml rum, condensed milk and allspice powder. This can be done by hand – no mixer needed.

Add the rum soaked raisins and mix thoroughly.

In a separate bowl, using a hand blender, whisk the double cream until it is thick and firm (not butter!)

Take a large spoon of the whipped cream and mix it into the condensed milk mixture until it is well incorporated. This should make the mixture easier to stir and will allow you to incorporate the rest of the cream mixture and keep it aerated.

Gently pour the condensed milk mixture into the cream and fold to combine – ensure there are no lumps of cream but DO NOT OVER MIX.

Pour the mixture into a plastic or glass container – preferably one that has a lid (I use plastic containers) or cover with cling film.

Freeze for at least 12 hours.

This recipe is a soft scoop ice cream and will not freeze hard due to the inclusion of alcohol so do not be tempted to add more rum – I promise you it doesn’t need it!

To serve:

Serve straight from the freezer in glasses or in ice cream cones

Top tips:

Serve as soon as you remove from the freezer as it is very soft and creamy!

Make it non-alcoholic by removing the rum and using rum essence. Soak the raisins in a little hot water with the rum essence

Do not be tempted to use more rum as this will inhibit your ice cream from setting.

Perfect served with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Cantiniere Primitivo red wine

Desserts

Rum & Raisin ice cream (Gelato Malaga)

A boozy, easy, delicious ice cream! My family love this wonderful ice cream – it brings back such incredible memories...

Flourless ricotta cake

(Torta di Ricotta)

for Michele

Quick, easy and so very tasty! This almond and ricotta cake was one of our dad Michele’s favourite cakes. Italy is a major exporter of almonds and this is one of the very many recipes our family makes all year round but especially at easter.

With only a few ingredients and no need for a mixer, it’s one you can adapt for any time of the year. It is delicious with fresh fruit in a light syrup – typically figs. Traditionally, it is finished with icing sugar on the top but we have given it that little bit extra. It is a rich, moist, dense cake that explodes with almond and cinnamon. It is somewhere between a cake and a pudding! During baking it rises but after about 10min it does collapse making it dense but this is as it should be! Believe me, it is difficult to have only one slice!

Ingredients:

Butter for greasing
250g ricotta cheese
200g caster sugar
75g ground almonds
3 eggs
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Icing sugar for dusting

Alternative topping:

250g mascarpone cheese
Icing sugar (as much as you like for sweetness
2 tablespoons Amaretto di Sarono or 1 teaspoon almond extract
Sliced fresh fruit (kiwi, grapes or fresh figs)

Preparing the dish:

Preheat the oven to 180
Butter an 18cm cake tin and line with greasproof paper
Place the ricotta, ground almonds and sugar into a mixing bowl and mix well
Add the eggs, one at a time
Add the cinnamon and beat well
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 30-40 minutes until golden. Check the centre with a knife – it needs to come out clean
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 min then turn out to cool completely

To serve:

Dust with icing sugar or our alternative topping:

Mix the mascarpone with icing sugar (taste to your chosen level of sweetness) and the Amaretto or almond extract. Cover the cake with the topping then add the sliced fruit of your choice

Serve the cake with a glass of wine, a coffee or with any drink.

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

Keep the cake in an air tight container in the fridge. It will last a few days (if you can stop eating it!)
Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Primitivo sweet red wine.

Desserts

Flourless almond ricotta cake (Torta di Ricotta) for Michele

Quick, easy and so very tasty! This almond and ricotta cake was one of our dad Michele’s favourite cakes. Italy is a ...

Easter Dove Cake

You know it’s almost Easter in Italy when every grocery shop you go to is filled with every type of Colomba, almond cakes and chocolate eggs.

La Colomba is a delicious sweet bread made with yeast. In English Colomba means Dove which is the symbol of peace – especially significant at Easter. While Pandoro or Panettone are the traditional sweet breads for an Italian Christmas, Colomba is the traditional bread for Easter.

The Easter Colomba, can be made with your favourite fillings, such as chocolate chips, candied fruit, raisins or even plain. The Perfect Italian Easter recipe for breakfast, brunch or even dessert. Our recipe is the traditional one with candied orange.

To make the Classic Colomba you have to start with a starter dough. This is a yeast dough that is not as complicated as it looks, you just need patience and time, so give it a try!

Ingredients:

For the sponge:
24g fresh yeast or 6g fast action
100g warm water
3 egg yolks
15g sugar
70g strong white flour

For the first dough:
6g fresh yeast or ½ tsp fast action
75g warm water
45g butter, softened
210g strong white flour

For the final dough:
145g sugar
15g honey
3 egg yolks
zest of 2 oranges
2 tsp Amaretto di Saronno almond liqueur/almond essence or orange liqueur
115g butter, softened
250g strong white flour
5g sea salt
150g chopped mixed peel

For the glaze:
1 egg white
25g sugar
25g ground almonds
50g flaked almonds
3 tbsp coarse crystal or pearl sugar

Preparing the cake:

First make the sponge: whisk the yeast into the warm water, mix in the egg yolks and sugar, and stir this into the flour until well combined.

Leave in a warm place for 30 minutes.

Mix the second quantity of yeast into water, then mix it into the sponge.

Beat in the butter and the 210g flour. Cover and leave somewhere warm until doubled in volume, for about 1 hour.

Stir in the sugar, honey, egg yolks, Almond liqueur/almond essence or orange essence, orange zest and the butter into the first dough. (We use the Amaretto Di Saronno almond liqueur).

Add the flour and salt and knead or mix in a standing mixer with a dough hook attachment for at least 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and stretchy and bounces off the sides of the bowl or stops sticking to your fingers.

Place it in an oiled bowl, cover and leave in a warm place until tripled in volume – for 3-4 hours.

Tip the risen dough onto a work surface and sprinkle with chopped peel (and raisins, if using).

Knead the fruit in well, folding the dough onto itself, until the fruit is well distributed.

Divide the dough in half and on a floured surface, roll one piece into a log about 25cm long and the other cut into 2 10cm long pieces.

Butter thoroughly the paper colomba case if using.

Place the longer piece in the case head to tail, and place the shorter pieces either side.
Cover the case with a plastic wrap and leave to prove until the dough comes up almost to the rim of the case, 2-3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas 6.
Make the glaze: mix the egg white with the ground almonds and sugar into a paste. Spread over the risen dough and sprinkle with flaked almonds and coarse or pearl sugar.

Bake for about 40 minutes.
Halfway through the time you can cover the head and tail parts loosely with two pieces of foil to stop them from burning.

. When cooked through and golden remove from the oven.

Cool on a wire rack.

To serve:
Slice and eat with your favourite sweet wine or for breakfast. Dip into your coffee or spread your favourite topping such as fresh fruit compote, chocolate spread or with your yoghurt. It is also delicious toasted and topped with honey, butter or cream!
Buona Pasqua e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Candied fruit are available from Italian food shops and local supermarkets.
The baked cooled bread should be stored in an airtight plastic bag, and kept at room temperature, it will keep for up to 3-4 days. It can also be frozen in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for two months in the freezer.
If there is a chance you have any left over or did not store it correctly, if dried out, it can be sliced and toasted – delicious with butter! Or it can be used to make the base for other dishes such as French toast or bread and butter pudding!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

Desserts

EASTER CAKE (COLOMBA DI PASQUA)

You know it’s almost Easter in Italy when every grocery shop you go to is filled with every type of Colomba, almond c...

Zuccotto di Panettone

(Panettone ricotta Christmas cake)

Zuccotto, originally a Tuscan pudding made with a plain sponge known as Pan di Spagna and ricotta. However, recipes are adapted around the country and in some recipes you will find have a filling of ice cream but in Puglia, we love our version using ricotta cheese, candied fruit and Panettone – It is a Christmas staple and so very delicious!

Adapt it for your particular taste by adding or changing the fruit and nuts and of course, you decide on the alcohol!

Ingredients:

700g (approx.) Panettone, cut into 2 round discs and the rest into slices lengthways 2.5cm thick
1Kg ricotta cheese
140g icing sugar
1 tablespoon cocoa powder (and some extra for dusting)
50g dark chocolate, grated or chocolate chips
70g mixed candied fruit – finely chopped (any candied fruit you like – I add some dried cranberries too)
50g Flaked almonds

170 ml Vin Santo or Marsala (you can use Amaretto, Martini Bianco or a Rum but I used amaretto Disaronno!!)
1.5 litre capacity bowl to use as a mould (mine was 16cm diameter)

Decoration (optional): Orange zest, cocoa, chocolate sauce, icing sugar or extra thick double cream and fruit.

Preparing the dish:

In a bowl, mix half the ricotta with 70g of sugar until creamy, fold in 35g of candied fruit, 25g of flaked almonds and 25g of the grated chocolate or chocolate chips and mix until all well amalgamated. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine the remaining ricotta with the remaining sugar, add cocoa powder and the grated chocolate or chocolate chips and mix until creamy.
Stir in the remaining candied fruit, flaked almonds. Set aside.
Line the pudding basin or bowl with cling film leaving quite a bit of excess around the edges. Line with the slices of panettone and with the help of a pastry brush, brush about three quarters of your chosen alcohol (for me, that’s Amaretto) onto the cake slices. Press down on the sides and base to secure them.
Fill your lined bowl with the white ricotta mixture which should fill half the pudding basin.
Take one of the round panettone discs and place over the top pressing gently and brush with some of the alcohol.
On top of the panetton disc, add the chocolate ricotta mixture and cover with the last of the panettone, drizzling with the remaining alcohol.
Bring up the overhang of cling film and seal the pudding.
Place a weight on top of the pudding - I used a plate then a jar of our extra virgin olive oil!
Place in the fridge for at least six hours or overnight.
Remove from the fridge and take off the weights and the cling film from the top.
Turn upside-down onto your serving plate.
Carefully remove the pudding basin and peel off the cling film.
Dust all over with lots of sieved cocoa powder.
Decorate with orange zest and serve

To serve:

Bring the desert to the table and slice!

Buon Natale and buon appetito!

Top tip:

If there is any left over, I always put it back into the bowl to help keep the dome structure – make sure you have re-lined it with cling film

Keep in the fridge as it does contain cheese

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Primitivo red wine, our sparkling Brut or one of our homemade liqueurs (see recipe section)

Desserts

Panettone ricotta Christmas cake (Zuccotto di Panettone)

Zuccotto, originally a Tuscan pudding made with a plain sponge known as Pan di Spagna and ricotta. However, recipes a...

Ricotta cheesecake

serves 12

Our family do many things well, and one of them is knowing how to celebrate and to cook! The Italians have so many traditional recipes that form the main staple of their weekly menu and because of the rich and bountiful produce throughout the country they are still able to have special, holiday celebration recipes and this Easter holiday summon for us, memories of lengthy, happy family meals where the whole family would get together, eat, drink and play cards!

Easter day, which commemorates the Resurrection of Christ, is an example of this. On Easter Sunday, the people of Puglia go to church to participate in Easter Mass and at noon, continue their celebration with an abundant typical Pugliese lunch, usually with roast lamb (in our calendar of recipes)which is then completed with a delicious cheesecake. This is our family’s variation of the more well-known Pastiera Napoletana.

In Italy, for many it’s all about the Pastiera Napoletana - an unusual, cheesecake made with candid fruit and or chocolate. Our family recipe is a much easier version and is the one most households in Bari follow.

Some people believe that pastiera was born when the ancient goddess Partenope emerged from the waters of the Gulf of Naples, enchanting the people with her songs. To thank her, the people of Naples gifted her with the most precious products of their land: flour, ricotta, eggs, wheat, orange and sugar and when the goddess returned to the sea, she offered the gifts to the gods, who then did what any of us would do, and made a cake out of them!

The modern version of pastiera was probably, most agree, invented in a Neapolitan convent and while the cake is certainly beloved for its deep, rich flavour, it’s also highly prized for its symbolic value. The main ingredients being ricotta, eggs, lemons and oranges are staples of Neapolitan cooking, where the eggs symbolise the new life we celebrate at Easter.

Ingredients:

For the sweet shortcrust pastry:

Buy ready-made or:

This makes a large, 32cm flan or two 24cm

Use a loose bottom flan tin if possible

500g plain flour (or ‘00’ flour if you can get it)

200g unsalted butter (not spread substitute)

200g sugar

2 eggs

For the filling:

1 kg ricotta cheese

400g sugar

2 sachets vanilla powder or the seeds from 2 vanilla pods or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200g finely chopped chocolate (70% coco) and or finely chopped candied fruit

(Our auntie Lucia changes the contents depending on who is coming for lunch! Use either: chocolate, fruit or a combination – completely up to you!)

Grated zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon

8 eggs

To make the pastry:

Put the flour and unsalted butter into a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs

Mix in the sugar and a pinch of salt

Add one egg at a time, mixing well but not over mixing as the pastry will become tough

If it is dry, add a tablespoon of water

Form into a ball and cut off approx. 1/4 (this is for the decoration on top of the cake)

No need to refrigerate this unless it is an exceptionally hot day!

To make the filling:

In a large mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients apart from the eggs

Add one egg at a time and mix each one well before adding the next

Preparing the cake:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC.

Grease your chosen loose bottom (if possible)flan tin

Roll out 3/4 of the pastry and place in the tin.

Ensure the pastry covers the inside of the flan tin (just as if you were making a tart)

Cut off any overhanging pastry

Add the ricotta cheese and candied fruit mixture

Then roll out the pastry you set aside for the topping

With a pastry wheel (a crimper, the one that makes ruffled edges is best), cut 7 long strips about 2 cm wide.

Now add your lattice top; it’s really important that the criss-cross of your lattice creates a diamond shape, not a square – it just won’t look right!

Traditionally you should have 4 strips on the bottom and 3 overlapping the top.

Press the lattice strips to the edge of the pastry very gently; they will be floating delicately on top of the filling at this stage.

You can brush the lattice gently with some beaten egg to make it shiny.

Bake for 50–60 minutes.

You are looking for perfectly done, crisp pastry and a beautiful amber-brown top.

Allow to cool completely inside the flan tin and, ideally, leave it to cool and rest overnight.

The ricotta mixture may be a little wobbly but this will set when cool.

To serve:

Before serving, sift the icing sugar over the top

Some people prefer the lattice top to be more evident so omit the icing sugar.

Once cooked, the pastiera can be stored in the fridge for 4–5 days – if the entire household doesn’t eat it all well before that!

Buona Pasqua e buon appetito!

Top tip:

Candied fruit are available from Italian food shops and local supermarkets.
Fresh ricotta is wonderful but not necessary for this recipe.

Adapt the filling to suit your palate: chocolate and or candied fruit – all are delicious!

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Tinto red wine.

Desserts

Baked Ricotta cheesecake (Pastiera di ricotta)

Our family do many things well, and one of them is knowing how to celebrate and to cook! The Italians have so many tr...

The famous ‘pick-me-up’ Italian desert!

Serves 8 (approx.)

Everyone loves a desert! This world famous traditional Italian desert is creamy and delicious - cremoso e delizioso! Made with just 7 ingredients – it is an easy and memorable desert. I’ve been sharing this recipe, given to me by my dad for the past 35 years and it has been a fitting end to every meal or celebration! I’ve made it for our Christmas eve get-togethers at my brother’s house where there are usually around 80+ people (well, pre-Covid) and this takes pride of place on the table – grazie mio adorabile fratello!

Yes, of course it is traditional in our family and yes, it is our family version of the original recipe. We like our tiramisu a bit more dense than the regular recipe so no need to whisk your whites with this recipe.

You won’t be disappointed – provaci!

Ingredients:

eggs 3 (room temperature)

caster sugar 100g

mascarpone 500g tub (room temperature)

strong black coffee (preferably espresso)300ml

Amaretto Originale Disaronno 150ml

1 packet savoiardi biscuits (lady fingers) 300g

cocoa powder 3-6 tbsp

Preparing the dish:

Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick.

Add in the mascarpone.

In a deep serving dish approx 30x10cm, line it with half the packet of savoiardi biscuits – going right up to the edge of the dish.

Pour the coffee and Amaretto mixture into a jug.

Gently pour some of the coffee and Ameretto mix over the biscuits until all biscuits have been covered but are not soggy.

Wait a minute for the biscuits to absorb the excess liquid then add a little more if not all coated.

Spoon 1/3 of the cheese mixture over the coated biscuits.

Ensure it goes to the edge of the dish to seal the 1^st layer.

Repeat laying the remainder of the biscuits over the cream.

Pour more of the coffee and Amaretto mixture over the biscuits so every biscuit is coated but not soggy – wait a minute for all the liquid to be absorbed. Remember to place the biscuits close together and up to the edge of the dish.

Add the remainder of the cheese mixture – covering and sealing the layer.

Add a dusting of cocoa and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours – even better if left over night.

Just before serving, check to see if you need to add another dusting of cocoa powder.

To serve:

Place on the table and scoop into dishes and serve!

Buon appetito!

Top tip:

This can be made up to 2 days in advance

It can also be made in individual glasses

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito sparkling Brut White or sparkling Brut Rosé wine.

Desserts

Tiramisu

Everyone loves a desert! This world famous traditional Italian desert is creamy and delicious - cremoso e delizioso! ...

Almond biscuits from Puglia.

Makes approx. 30

These biscuits are a real family favourite – here in the UK and in Italy! They are known as a Christmas and Easter treat but are eaten all year round! 90% of the almond orchards in Italy are found in Apulia and Sicily so it’s no wonder we have the most incredible almond recipes and this is one of the best and easiest!

At this time of the year people start preparing the dolcetti (the small biscuits), for the holiday season. My auntie Silvia makes the best ones and I bring back kilos of them for our family! These delicious little cakes are slightly crisp and cracked on the outside with a soft inside.
This recipe is very quick and simple; you only need to be careful while baking, but follow our instructions and the result will be spectacular.

Ingredients:

230 grams ground almonds

170 grams caster sugar

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup icing sugar onto a flat plate

coffee beans, candied fruits and almonds - for your toppings

Preparing the dish:

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees

Mix together the ground almonds and caster sugar and set aside.

Beat the egg whites and almond extract until soft peaks are formed.

Fold together the beaten egg whites into dry ingredients until a crumbly dough forms.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take a teaspoon of the dough and using your fingers gently roll into a ball and place onto the plate with the icing sugar. Do this until about 1/2 the dough has been rolled.

Roll each ball into the icing sugar then place onto your baking tray. When all the dough has been rolled into balls and coated in the icing sugar, place them a couple of inches apart on the tray.

Gently press your almonds, coffee beans or cherry gently into the top of the biscuit.

Bake at 175° for about 12 - 15 minutes or until they are lightly gold on the top and have slightly cracked but not burnt or brown.

Remove from the oven and carefully transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

To serve:

Serve the biscuits with a glass of wine, a coffee or with any drink. They also make an excellent gift!

Buona Pasqua, Buon Natale and buon appetito!

Top tip:

Keep them in an air tight container and they will last a couple of weeks (if you can keep away from them!)

Do not let them get too dark or they will be dry inside

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito Apeneste white wine.

Desserts

Almond biscuits (DOLCETTI DI MANDORLE)

These biscuits are a real family favourite – here in the UK and in Italy! They are known as a Christmas and Easter tr...

Desserts

CHILLED PEACHES IN WINE

A dish loved by all Italians!❤️ Not only is this a delicious and refreshing end to a meal, it is so easy to prepare -...

APERITIVO

Mulled Wine

As the chilly winter days settle in, there's nothing more comforting than a glass of Mulled Wine.

Liquore al Cioccolato

(Chocolate liqueur)

There is a saying “Italians do it better!” Well this is a prime example! Our grandmother Elena has been making homemade liqueurs forever and her chocolate liqueur has to be one of our favourites! It is rich, smooth, delicious and strong!

She always has a stash of liqueurs in her fridge or freezer and they are a perfect end to a meal. They also make fabulous presents and can be added to cocktails, as toppings for ice creams or try a dash of this liqueur in your coffee! It is so easy to make that you must try it!

Ingredients:

400g granulated sugar

100g unsweetened good quality bitter cocoa powder

1 lit full fat milk

250ml grain alcohol (such as Everclear, Vodka or Gin)

Preparing the liqueur:

Place the milk into a saucepan and heat gently.

In a mixing bowl, mix the cocoa powder and sugar.

When the milk has warmed through, add the sugar and cocoa mixture to the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly so it does not catch on the bottom.

Once the cocoa sugar mixture has dissolved, bring the mixture to the boil – stirring often for approx. 3 min.

Once boiled, turn off the heat and allow the mixture cool completely.

After the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in the alcohol (I usually bring bottles of alcohol back from Italy as it’s difficult to get in the UK but you can use Vodka as it is a grain alcohol)

Then have your chosen bottle/bottles ready. Place a funnel in the bottle and ladle in enough liqueur to fill it almost to the top. Cap or cork your bottles and store them in the fridge or freezer.

To serve:

Remove from your fridge or freezer just before serving.

Give it a bit of a shake and then pour into your glass, coffee, or over your dessert.

Salute!

Top tip:

Keep your bottle in the fridge or freezer (it won’t freeze as the alcohol level is high!)

Shake before use

These make wonderful presents – I pour my mixture into all different sized bottles as I add them to Christmas hampers and stockings!

APERITIVO

Chocolate Liqueur (Liquore al Cioccolato)

There is a saying “Italians do it better!” Well this is a prime example! Our grandmother Elena has been making homema...

Liquore al Cioccolato

Chocolate liqueur

There is a saying “Italians do it better!” Well this is a prime example! Our grandmother Elena has been making homemade liqueurs forever and her chocolate liqueur has to be one of our favourite's! It is rich, smooth, delicious and strong!

She always has a stash of liqueurs in her fridge or freezer and they are a perfect end to a meal. They also make fabulous presents and can be added to cocktails, as toppings for ice creams or try a dash of this liqueur in your coffee! It is so easy to make that you must try it!

Ingredients:

400g granulated sugar

100g unsweetened good quality bitter cocoa powder

1 lit full fat milk

250ml grain alcohol (such as Everclear, Vodka or Gin)

Preparing the liqueur:

Place the milk into a saucepan and heat gently.

In a mixing bowl, mix the cocoa powder and sugar.

When the milk has warmed through, add the sugar and cocoa mixture to the saucepan.

Stir the mixture constantly so it does not catch on the bottom.

Once the cocoa sugar mixture has dissolved, bring the mixture to the boil – stirring often for approx. 3 min.

Once boiled, turn off the heat and allow the mixture cool completely.

After the chocolate mixture has cooled, stir in the alcohol (I usually bring bottles of alcohol back from Italy as it’s difficult to get in the UK but you can use Vodka as it is a grain alcohol)

Then have your chosen bottle/bottles ready. Place a funnel in the bottle and ladle in enough liqueur to fill it almost to the top. Cap or cork your bottles and store them in the fridge or freezer.

To serve:

Remove from your fridge or freezer just before serving.

Give it a bit of a shake and then pour into your glass, coffee, or over your dessert.

Salute!

Top tip:

Keep your bottle in the fridge or freezer (it won’t freeze as the alcohol level is high!)

Shake before use

These make wonderful presents – I pour my mixture into all different sized bottles as I add them to Christmas hampers and stockings!

APERITIVO

Chocolate liqueur (Liquore al Cioccolato)

There is a saying “Italians do it better!” Well this is a prime example! Our grandmother Elena has been making homema...

APERITIVO

The Bishop Cocktail

The bishop is a classic cocktail that comes from the 1935 printing of "The Old Waldorf-Astoria Bar Book" by A.S. Cro...

The summer is a magical time in Puglia. As you drive through the countryside, you can see the incredible lemon trees with lemons the size of your hand and on the Terre Di San Vito farm they are spectacular! What better way to celebrate this fabulous fruit than to make your own Limoncello! It is a classic Italian liqueur with a unique unmistakable lemon flavour. Lemon oil is a carminative, which is why limoncello is categorised as a digestif liqueur and enjoyed after a meal. In Puglia, it is drunk ice cold.

Limoncello, was created to make use of the superior quality lemons of Puglia and the Amalfi Coast. Limoncello is made with four simple ingredients: lemon peel, pure alcohol, water and sugar.
The origins of Limoncello are certainly to be found in the beautiful Gulf of Naples. But there are various stories and myths involving monks, intellectuals and even Zeus and the sirens, about the birth of this famous liqueur.
This liqueur is more versatile than you think. It is of course delicious served chilled all on its own in a shot glass, in a summer gin cocktail (recipe in top tips), poured over ice cream or in a scrumptious cheesecake!.
Don’t worry if you can’t get Italian lemons, but they must be lemons with the rough thick peel, large size and, above all, untreated, even better if they are organic.

FOR THE LIMONCELLO:
Ingredients

8-10 large untreated organic lemons
1 litre of pure alcohol 95° or you can use a 100-proof Vodka
600 g of granulated sugar
1 litre of water
Directions:

Wash the lemons then dry them with kitchen paper. Do not rub them too much so as not to disperse oils and perfume. Use only ORGANIC UNTREATED LEMONS
Peel the lemons with a potato peeler or sharp knife. Take care to remove ONLY the zest (yellow part), leaving the white pith on the lemon as it could give a bitter taste to the liqueur.
Place the lemon zest in a large airtight glass jar then pour the alcohol (or the Vodka). Let them infuse for 2 weeks in a cool place out of direct sunlight. Better cover the jar with a cloth to be sure that it remains in the dark.
During this time, SHAKE THE JAR EVERY DAY to mix the ingredients well without ever opening the jar.
After the required infusion time, you need to make the syrup. Put the water and sugar into a saucepan and, over a low heat, bring to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then let it cool down.
Filter the liquid with a sieve and remove the lemon zest.
Once the syrup is cold, add it to the infusion of alcohol and lemon zest and mix well.
Pour your home made Limoncello into glass bottles with a hermetic closure or cork stopper.
Store the bottles in the freezer or fridge.
Before drinking, if you have kept your liqueur in the fridge, put the bottle of Limoncello into the freezer for a couple of hours

Salute!

Top tips:

Once the limoncello is ready it can be stored in the freezer. The alcohol and sugar prevent it from freezing so don’t worry. In this way it’s already cold when you want to drink it!
Homemade Limoncello should be drunk within three months from the date of preparation.
During the infusion and storage period, always keep your jars and bottles in a cool dark place. These ingredients are sensitive to light and heat so that a bad storage can compromise the flavour of the Limoncello.
Serve Limoncello ice cold, NOT with the addition of ICE. Keep it in the freezer so it is always ready to drink. Alcohol and sugar prevent the liqueur from freezing, so don’t worry.
So to be honest, I don’t always add the tonic/soda, it depends on the time of day!

Try our Limoncello gin cocktail
This can be made individually or in larger quantities for your BBQ parties!

1 ounce (measure) homemade Limoncello
1 ounce (measure) of your favourite gin
4 (measures) ounces tonic
Lots of ice
Lemon peel, for garnish
Place the Limoncello, gin and ice into a jug or cocktail shaker. Give it a good mix/shake.

Pour into a long glass or any fabulous cocktail glass then add the tonic/soda and a slice of lemon peel and serve.

This mixture (without the tonic) can also be put in a blender and served as a very adult slush!

Fabulously refreshing on a hot summer evening!

limoncello hand made on tenuta de san vito

APERITIVO

LIMONCELLO and a Limoncello GIN COCKTAIL

Limoncello, was created to make use of the superior quality lemons of Puglia and the Amalfi Coast. Limoncello is made...

La granita del Vescovo

Serves approx 8-10

While visiting my family at our vineyard in Polignano, I was trying to think of new recipes where our wine would be the star - and one that would also be refreshing in the scorching heat of the sun and reflect the traditional food of Puglia! Ed eccoci qua! Of course - frozen, iced wine!

Whenever my family from London would travel to Bari, our dad would take us to a little stall in the old town ‘Bari Vecchia’ where a man would have an enormous block of ice. He would scrape the ice into a little paper cone and pour a deliciously sweet red syrup over the top - oh the joy and satisfaction we got from that lovely treat!

This recipe is entirely dedicated to those special memories.

A granita does need a couple of days to set so do be prepared. This is a very grown-up granita but it is so easy to make and tastes incredible! When serving your granita, try to add a little edible flower or a sprig of mint, they make a beautiful garnish for this simple palette cleanser or desert.

La granita del Vescovo

Ingredients:

175 g sugar (approx 1 cup)

1 bottle (750 ml) fruity red wine, such as our Il Vescovo, Tinto or Cantiniere Primitivo

250 ml water (enough to cover the sugar)

Preparing the granita

In a saucepan over a medium-high heat, stir together the sugar and water.

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has completely dissolved - this is your sugar syrup.

Once the syrup mixture has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and let it cool.

When the sugar syrup has cooled completely, stir in the wine.

Pour mixture into a shallow freezer-safe container.

Freeze for about 1 day, then, using a fork, scrape and stir to break up ice crystals.

Return the granita to the freezer until firm (I left mine in there for 2 days!), occasionally scraping and stirring with a fork.

To serve your granita

To serve, spoon the granita into chilled glasses or bowls add your garnish of edible flowers, mint or fruit and serve immediately.

Top tips:

Prepare well in advance

Adapt amount of sugar depending on your preference but you do need to use a sugar syrup or your granita will not set!

Ensure the edible flower garnish is edible!

SALUTE!

APERITIVO

RED WINE GRANITA

While visiting my family at our vineyard in Polignano, I was trying to think of new recipes where our wine would be t...

APERITIVO

Negroni

The Negroni is one of the most loved Italian alcoholic drinks. Not only is the negroni now a common sighting on bar m...

Aperol Spritz

(serves 1)

In every town, city and bar in Italy, you will find people having a pre-dinner/lunch drink. This is called an aperitif and it is said to ‘open the stomach’ so you are ready for your main meal! The Italians love their traditions and socialising before going home for lunch or dinner or at the weekend when meeting friends. This has become one of my rituals every time I go to Italy – I love sitting outside my favourite bars and meeting my friends and family for a chat and a drink – aperitivo time could be all day for me – I just love this social experience.

The aperitivo is believed to have initiated in Piedmont in the 18th century, when King Vittorio Emanuele II embraced a spiced white wine called vermouth as his pre-dinner drink of choice. He claimed that the special combination of fortified white wine and various herbs and spices stimulated the appetite and was more suitable for ladies to drink than red wine. It thus became one of the first popular aperitivo drinks.

There are a plethora of choices of aperitifs in Italy – they take this ritual very seriously. An aperitivo is quintessentially Italian and usually consists of a drink and some delicious nibbles – mini forms of snacks. It can be as basic as nuts, olives, procutto, cheese and crisps or more elaborate with: panzarotte, fiieselle, toasted sandwiches, crudities and dips and crostini – just about anything but in miniature!

An Aperol Spritz is one of the more recent, well known aperitifs. It has a bitter taste and is made of gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona, among other ingredients. It has a vibrant orange hue. Its name comes from the French slang word for aperitif, which is apero. It is less bitter than another well-known aperitif: Campari.

This is the recipe approved by the IBA: The international bartender association – but of course, we have our must-try variation!

Ingredients/directions:

FILL A WHITE WINE GLASS WITH ICE

ADD 9cl TERRE DI SAN VITO’S TERRE BRUT SPARKLING WHITE WINE

ADD 2 PARTS OF APEROL (6CL)

AND 1 SPLASH OF SODA/TONIC (3CL)

MIX WELL WITH A SPOON OR COCKTAIL SPOON!

GARNISH WITH AN ORANGE SLICE

Salute!

Top tips:

So to be honest, I don’t always add the tonic/soda, it depends on the time of day! Without the tonic/soda, it is a bit stronger in taste and alcohol value but it is delicious. Try it with and without the tonic/soda.

Serve with a bottle of our fabulous Terre Di San Vito’s Terre Brut Sparkling White Wine

APERITIVO

Aperol Spritz

In every town, city and bar in Italy, you will find people having a pre-dinner/lunch drink. This is called an aperiti...

APERITIVO

NEW YORK SOUR

What a drink! First you have the whiskey sour layer – sweetened with syrup. Then you float a layer of red wine over t...

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Frittura di mare

Catalana lobster: Lobster with a vegetable sauce

Baked layered aubergine

Baked potatoes, rice and mussels

Focaccia alla Barese

Salsa di polpette

Mushroom vol au vents

Cantucci biscotti

Gelato Malaga

Pasta with basil and salty ricotta

Pasta crudaiola

(serves 4-6)

Marmellata di Ciliegie

Asparagus risotto

Carciofi fritti

Fried Artichokes

Michele’s Torta di Ricotta (Michele’s flourless ricotta cake)

Parsley pesto

Almond biscuits from Puglia.

Top tip:

Baked Ricotta cheesecake

Lentils and pork sausage

Spaghetti alla San Giovannello

Pasta al forno alla Pugliese

Baked pasta from Puglia

Introduction

The Story of Malbec in Puglia

Explore the Malbec Collection at Terre di San Vito

Pairing Malbec with Authentic Puglian Flavours

🍝 Il Vescovo & Pasta e Salsa di Polpette

How to Celebrate Malbec Day – The Italian Way

🕯️ Host a Puglian Dinner Party

🧀 Build a Malbec-Inspired Gift Box

🍷 Share a Bottle of Tinto

Conclusion

Potato pie

Pizza di patate

Serves 6

Focaccia alla Barese

Gratin Baked Peppers

Beans and pasta

Pasta e fagioli

serves 4 or more

Tagliatelle ai fungi

Baked pasta from Puglia

Orecchiette with broccoli and crispy bacon (serves 4)

Creamy sundried tomato pasta (serves 4)

Small pasta tubes with mussels

Mixed fried fish

Pasta e salsa di polpette

Baked fish with olives

Agnello e patate al forno

Capitone Anguilla grigliato

Stuffed meat rolls in a tomato sauce