The cuisine of Puglia, deep in the south of Italy, is distinctive and delicious. Puglia may not be as well known as celebrated Italian regions such as Tuscany or Liguria. Fewer people go on holiday there for a start, and all most people know about Puglia are its famous trulli – those whitewashed conical houses.
An Appetite for Puglia
But now you can get cheap flights to Bari, the capital of Puglia, more people are discovering the beauty of the region. If you’re off to Puglia – or just interested in trying some recipes from the region, it’s worth checking out An Appetite for Puglia by Christine Smallwood (pub. BDP £19.99).
Homemade Pasta Recipe
To get a taste for Puglian food, try this recipe for Mushroom Ravioli in a Walnut Sauce taken, with permission, from the book. It’s a recipe that comes from La Taverna Li Jalantuúmene, a restaurant in Monte Sant’Angelo, a town in Puglia that sits high on a hill, overlooking endless olive groves.
Triangular Mushroom Ravioli in a Walnut Sauce – Recipe (Triangoli ai Porcini in Salsa di Noci)
Ingredients – Serves 4
For the Walnut sauce
- 200 g walnuts, shelled and chopped finely
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 30 g Parmesan
- Pepper
- ½ clove garlic
For the Pasta
- 375 g ‘00’ flour
- 125 g semolina
- Salt
- 3 eggs
- 1 spoon extra virgin olive oil
- Water as needed
For the Ravioli filling
- 200 g porcini mushrooms, chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 500 g fresh goat’s ricotta, sieved
- Small bunch parsley, finely chopped
- Salt and pepper
Method
- Before making the walnut sauce, separate a small quantity of the walnuts for a garnish. Then put the remainder and the other ingredients in a blender, with plenty of oil and when blitzed, keep to one side.
- Make the filling by frying the mushrooms in the oil and garlic, and then mixing with the ricotta and parsley. Season to taste and leave to cool.
- Make the pasta by mixing the flour, semolina and salt with the eggs. Add water and oil as needed. Work the dough until it becomes soft and elastic. With the use of a rolling pin and extra flour to prevent sticking, roll out 4 thin sheets. Cut into triangles, with a knife or pasta cutter and leave to rest for an hour.
- Place a teaspoon of filling on the pasta and press closed with your fingers; eggs or milk will not be needed. Boil in plenty of salted boiling water, and drain when just al dente.
- Heat the walnut sauce in a frying pan and coat the ravioli lightly with the sauce on the heat. Serve immediately with a few chopped walnuts.
Read a review of An Appetite for Puglia, or try another recipe from the book: traditional taiddha perhaps or pasta filled aubergines.
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