Apulia | Radicchioblog

Italian Olive Oil Offers Many Choices For Consumers

December 4, 2009

Italian olive oil is quite well known in the United States and has been for a long time. What is new however are the number of olive oils available and the differences among them. Numerous Italian regions produce olive oil and most of them are trying to get into the US marketplace. Among the most important are Tuscany, Umbria, Apulia, Sicilia, Calabria and Liguria. There are also areas in some of the other 20 regions that produce olive oil such as Lago di Garda in Lombardy/Veneto.

The olive was originally planted in the South Caucasus and spread from there to Rhodes, Cyprus and Crete and then to the entire Mediterranean basin. Olive cultivation in Apulia, for example, dates back to 800 a.c. when Greek settlers migrated to the region during the era called Magna Grecia. Some 40% of Italian olive oil actually comes from Apulia.

One of the characteristics of olive oil from Apulia is that it is quite full bodied, more so, for example, than oils from Liguria, Lake Garda or Tuscany. It has rich aromas and flavors and considerable nutritional characteristics including a high level of vitamin E and other substances which protect against degenerative diseases and aging.

Just like with wine grapes, there are many different types of olives, each producing oil with various characteristics. In Apulia, some of the varieties include:

Coratina which produces an olive oil that is fruity and slightly spicy.

Ogliarola which produces an oil that is almost sweet and has an aroma of almonds.

Ogliarola Garganica and Parenzana which make fruity and quite well balanced oil.

Cellina and Saracena which produce oil that can be almost salty.

Olive oil can also be used for numerous purposes in the kitchen and out. In the kitchen, some of the lighter oils such as those made from coratina work very well with salads. Other that are slightly heavier and are a bit spicy enhance grilled meats and vegetables. Still others work for frying foods.

The final product depends largely on the quality of the olive and how it is cared for during harvest and pressing. Following the harvest which should be done by hand as much as possible, olives are washed before being sorted and eventually pressed. Olives must be pressed within 24 hours after they are gathered.

Apulia has a number of products which have the special Denominazione d’orgine protetta (DOP) label including Olio Extravergine di oliva Collina di Brindisi DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Dauna DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Terra d’Otranto DOP, Olio Extravergine di oliva Terra di Bari DOP, and Olio Extravergine di oliva Terre Tarantine DOP.

While Apulia is only one of many regions in Italy that produces olive oil, it gives you an idea of how many oils there are and how each one has different characteristics depending on the terroir where they are grown, the cultivar and the climate conditions in that area. Check out the oils at Alta Cucina’s store.

1 Comment | Apulia, Dining, Ingredients, Italian Regions, olive oil, Uncategorized | Tagged: Alta Cucina Store, Apulia, olive oils from Italy | Permalink
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Instead of Making Apple Pie, Try Italy’s Cotognata

September 29, 2009

Apples are a universally liked fruit but often one doesn’t know what to do with them aside from making Apple Crisp or Apple pie. Here is a lovely recipe from Artusi for making apple marmalade. Mela cotogna translated means quince but you can try this recipe with some of the late ripening Apples.

Pellegrino Artusi was the author of the famous Italian cookbook La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiare Bene (The Science of Cooking and the Art of Eating Well). He was born in Forlimpopoli, near the town of Forlì in Emilia Romagna. In his later life, he began to write a cookbook which he self published in the late 1800s. The recipes are still used today in many Italian kitchens and he is also celebrated for having been one of the first to unify recipes from all the different Italian regions in one book.

Cotognata:

2 pounds apples or quinces
2 1/2 cups sugar

Preparation:

Artusi suggests melting the sugar with a half cup of water. Once this has boiled, he then says to cut the apples into thin slices and stir them in a pot for 45 minutes. Once they are cooked, add the sugar mixture and cut the whole thing back into the pan. Cook at a very low heat until you get it to a certain density so that it doesn’t really move on the plate. You need to constantly mix the apples adding the sugar mixture as you work.

Once you take the mixture off the fire, let it sit for a bit and cool. You can actually cut this with a knife if it is the right density.

This dessert comes from the city of Lecce in the region of Apulia located in the toe of the Italian boot. A beautiful area, Apulian cuisine is famous for its desserts, cheeses, olive oils and wines.

1 Comment | Apulia, Cooking, Italian Regions | Tagged: Apulia, Cotognata | Permalink
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Pane di Altamura in Apulia- Terroir Exists For Foods As Well

June 9, 2009

Terroir that over used word which means a combination of place, soil, climate, prevailing winds, water sources and other factors all rolled into one is just as important for some food products as it is for wine.

Sure you can buy all the ingredients you want in order to make the famous bread from Altamura. You can even import the ingredients but will it taste the same as that delicious thickly crusted bread from the Apulia region of Italy? Not by a long shot.

Pane di Altamura was the first bread to receive protected status or Denominazione Orgine Protetta (DOP) in the European Union. The bread is made from hard semolina wheat, natural yeast from a previous batch (pasta acida o lievito madre), marine salt and water.

pane

Yes wonderful sourdough breads which are similar to this bread can be made in your kitchen but this bread relies on grains harvested from a specific small area in the province of Bari, a water source with exact specifications that reflect the waters in that area, and natural yeast that comes from a previous batch of the bread and that will not travel well. It must be cooked in a specific type of oven, etc, etc, etc.

However there is no need to despair. The bread was originally made to be taken out into the hills by the local shepards and it can last for anywhere between 10 days to two weeks. The best thing to do is buy it in Italy and bring it home. The bread is sold all over the country. Delicious with a straw yellow middle, this bread really can’t be replicated at home. For the exact item, you need to go to the source.

Pane di Altamura has been famous since the 15th century and it is said that the latin poet Horace mentioned it in 27 B.C. It has two very distinct names in pugliese: U sckuanète which is the taller of the two breads and a cappidde de prèvete or a priest’s hat. Some 35 companies still make the bread in this city.

While the bread is perhaps its most famous export, a recent film called Focaccia Blues that was shown in New York this week talks about Altamura and other products, specifically a little focaccia store which was able to oust McDonalds. No violence occurred but the people of Altamura just continued eating what they have always eaten, traditional, home made specialties.

Some things cannot be copied and this inimitable bread is one of them.

2 Comments | Baking, Cooking, Travelling | Tagged: Altacucina, Apulia, Bread, DOP, Focaccia Blues, Pane di Altamura, Terroir | Permalink
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