“Ricotta forte” - basically aged ricotta, spreadable, with a strong almost bitter flavor. A very #Pugliese thing, used in bruschetta, or mixed in with ragù (also, and not here, in panzerotti)
At RistoranteAlleDuePorte yesterday, 😋
#Bologna
“Sottoli Pugliesi” - think pickled veggies in oil. The pearl onions on the far right are actually #Lampascioni - part of the same family, but technicality a “tassel hyacinth”, with a totally different texture/taste (less layers, slightly bitterish). Like shrooms, you don’t want to pick these yourself - they are easily confused for “Autumn Colchicum” which are pretty damn toxic🤯.
Weirdly, they originate in North America, but are now considered typically #Pugliese
As a digestivo - and boy howdy, did I need one! - liquore d’alloro (bay/laurel liquor). Another very #Pugliese thing, and just about perfect - now I need to find (or make) some 😋
@dieswaytoofast
If you are able to source a recipe, please share it.
@dieswaytoofast i might be able to find a recipe. Though I think mostly it is: put a handful of clean fresh laurel leaves to steep in alcohol (if you do not have access to 95° proof alcohol, neutral vodka could work) for a month. Add syrup (proportion depending on the type of alcohol used). Let it rest for a week. Enjoy.
@Spacedlaw my pugliesi friends pretty much said the same - will give it a shot, though I suspect (as with most things), the simpler the recipe, the more complicated it actually is 😅
@Spacedlaw @dieswaytoofast
Thanks for that. I might have to try it. People here make a lot of flavoured vodkas. A very popular one at Christmas is honey vodka
@Spacedlaw @dieswaytoofast
When you say 'syrup' - is that a plain sugar syrup or a flavoured one?
@dieswaytoofast If you are on IG, give a follow to @carlatomasi. She makes her own (and plenty more).
@dieswaytoofast
Those are tomatoes in the middle - right, not strawberries?
Were they at all spicy? I had a friend who was from Calabria and their pickled veggies could take your breath away.
@Island_Martha little peperoncini- stuffed with ricotta. Not terribly spicy (but there was an offer to add some Calabrian peppers to the ricotta 😅)
@dieswaytoofast
Did you take them up on that?
@Island_Martha still sweating - they were potent!!!
@dieswaytoofast
You're braver than I. Had a TINY taste once at a friends home. Once was more than enough for me.