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Pollo alla Cacciatore

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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.

OUR FAMILY LIKE TO MAKE

Marmellata di Fichi (Fig & Walnut Jam)

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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Catalana lobster: Lobster with a vegetable sauce

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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Baked layered aubergine

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.

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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.

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Zia Silvia's Focaccia

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

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.

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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

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

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

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

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

Pasta crudaiola Barese

(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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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 - 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 - 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...

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

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 - Cotechino e lenticchie (pronounced ko-te-kee-no)

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 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 - 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...

Pizza di patate

Potato pizza/cake 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

Pizza di patate

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

ANTIPASTI

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 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

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

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

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

Pasta San Nicola

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

Pasta e fagioli

Bean and pasta

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

July

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 ai fungi

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

Tagliatelle ai fungi

Tagliatelle with creamy mushroom sauce