Lets Make It! Cartellate & the Puglia Region
The region of Puglia is truly unique, with many different traditional dishes and products. I really enjoyed the last couple days studying the land of Puglia and would like to share with you some of what I have learned.
First, I would like to give you some history, agriculture, and other information about Puglia, then another recipe for you to try at home!
Puglia has been an important part of all of Europe for many centuries. The Messapians were the first to inhabit the region, then came the Greeks. Both of these populations made an impact on the land, but unfortunately, the Romans came next and destroyed almost everything. From this point, the land of Puglia has done nothing but built on its rich history from agriculture to everyday life.
The Travoliere di Puglia is a large flat land that dates back to ancient time. This land is very fertile and grows a lot of different things, from durum wheat to fruit and vegetables.
I did some additional research on this large flat plain and here is what I found:
Neolithic farmers lived on the Travoliere for over 7,000 years ago and practiced ritual defleshing of the dead. They deposited the bones in the Scaloria Cave, both human and animal. During the Middle Ages, the old practices of agriculture were lost and the plains were mainly for sheep farming. The lands were mainly marshy and not very good. After drainage, the plain became highly cultivated.
Continuing with the fruits and vegetables of the region, Carciofo Brindisino IGP is an artichoke that is grown in Puglia and is a lot smaller than others. It has less fiber than other artichokes so it is often preferred to be pickled or preserved.
Another vegetable from the region is Cipolla Bianca di Margherita IGP is a white onion that is sweet, like a red onion. It is at IGP status due to the way that it is grown, allowing it to grow faster because of the sandy soil. Cipolla di Acquaviva is another onion grown in Puglia, but it is a very sweet red onion.
Fun Fact of the Day
List the DOP and IGP products produced in the Puglia region.
- Caciocavallo Silano DOP: A stringy cheese made with cow's milk; The milk and curd is allowed to sit for days and then it is pulled
- Canestrato Pugliese DOP: This is a sheep's milk cheese that is often aged. It is made in Northern Puglia
- Mozzarella di Bufala Campagna DOP
- Oli Extravergine di Oliva Dauno DOP
- Pane di Altamura DOP: A bread made with flour, water, yeast, and salt and is kneaded and prepared at home & then baked in public ovens; Until the 1970s, public ovens were used because people were not allowed to bake in their private homes
- Uva di Puglia IGP
Recipe time! Here is a delicious fried dessert that you MUST try and make at home. It is simple, but very delicious.
100 g Oil
170 mL white wine, warm
50 g sugar
2. Wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
3. Roll out dough until you can see your hand through the dough, about 1/8 inch.
4. Cut the dough with a scalloped pasta wheel into 2 inches wide strips about 8 inches long.
5. With your thumb and index finger, pinch the pasta ribbon every 1 inch, leaving a pocket. Continue down the strip.
6. Create a little open rose, a circle, and really pinch the end to keep the shape.
7. Fry until golden brown.
8. Served traditionally drizzled with honey or vincotto (a sweet balsamic). Want to try something else? Show me in the comments!
First, I would like to give you some history, agriculture, and other information about Puglia, then another recipe for you to try at home!
Puglia has been an important part of all of Europe for many centuries. The Messapians were the first to inhabit the region, then came the Greeks. Both of these populations made an impact on the land, but unfortunately, the Romans came next and destroyed almost everything. From this point, the land of Puglia has done nothing but built on its rich history from agriculture to everyday life.
The Travoliere di Puglia is a large flat land that dates back to ancient time. This land is very fertile and grows a lot of different things, from durum wheat to fruit and vegetables.
I did some additional research on this large flat plain and here is what I found:
Neolithic farmers lived on the Travoliere for over 7,000 years ago and practiced ritual defleshing of the dead. They deposited the bones in the Scaloria Cave, both human and animal. During the Middle Ages, the old practices of agriculture were lost and the plains were mainly for sheep farming. The lands were mainly marshy and not very good. After drainage, the plain became highly cultivated.
Continuing with the fruits and vegetables of the region, Carciofo Brindisino IGP is an artichoke that is grown in Puglia and is a lot smaller than others. It has less fiber than other artichokes so it is often preferred to be pickled or preserved.
Another vegetable from the region is Cipolla Bianca di Margherita IGP is a white onion that is sweet, like a red onion. It is at IGP status due to the way that it is grown, allowing it to grow faster because of the sandy soil. Cipolla di Acquaviva is another onion grown in Puglia, but it is a very sweet red onion.
Fun Fact of the Day
List the DOP and IGP products produced in the Puglia region.
- Caciocavallo Silano DOP: A stringy cheese made with cow's milk; The milk and curd is allowed to sit for days and then it is pulled
- Canestrato Pugliese DOP: This is a sheep's milk cheese that is often aged. It is made in Northern Puglia
- Mozzarella di Bufala Campagna DOP
- Oli Extravergine di Oliva Dauno DOP
- Pane di Altamura DOP: A bread made with flour, water, yeast, and salt and is kneaded and prepared at home & then baked in public ovens; Until the 1970s, public ovens were used because people were not allowed to bake in their private homes
- Uva di Puglia IGP
Recipe time! Here is a delicious fried dessert that you MUST try and make at home. It is simple, but very delicious.
Recipe title: Cartellate
Ingredients:
500 g Pastry Flour100 g Oil
170 mL white wine, warm
50 g sugar
Method:
1. Mix all ingredients together until a smooth dough forms. You may need to add more flour or wine based on the consistency.2. Wrap it in plastic and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
3. Roll out dough until you can see your hand through the dough, about 1/8 inch.
4. Cut the dough with a scalloped pasta wheel into 2 inches wide strips about 8 inches long.
5. With your thumb and index finger, pinch the pasta ribbon every 1 inch, leaving a pocket. Continue down the strip.
6. Create a little open rose, a circle, and really pinch the end to keep the shape.
7. Fry until golden brown.
8. Served traditionally drizzled with honey or vincotto (a sweet balsamic). Want to try something else? Show me in the comments!
Let me know what you think in the comments below!
With love,
Baylee
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