The sea is never too far away in Puglia, and seafood is everywhere—nowhere more so than its capital and principal port of Bari. So it should come as no surprise that orata alla barese or Sea Bream Bari Style, is one of the city’s signature dishes. Orata alla barese riffs … Read More
Melanzane alla tarantina (Taranto Style Eggplant)
Eggplants might just be my favorite summer vegetable. In fact, eggplant parmigiana is probably my single favorite dish, but it is quite hefty eating as well as quite a multistep production to prepare. Sometimes you just want something lighter and easier to make without skimping on taste. Today’s dish, melanzane … Read More
Focaccia barese
Neapolitan pizza has taken over the world, but Italy abounds with lesser known regional flatbreads like focaccia genovese from Liguria, schiacciata from Tuscany, sfincione from Sicily, just to name a few. Today I’d like to show you one of my personal favorites, from Puglia’s capital city Bari: focaccia barese, also … Read More
Orecchiette con pomodorini e rucola (Orecchiette with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula)
Here’s my candidate for the quickest and easiest pasta of all time, orecchiette con pomodorini e rucola, or Orecchiette Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Arugula. As many of you will know, orecchiette, literally meaning “little ears”, is perhaps the most iconic fresh pasta of Italy’s Puglia region. Many if not … Read More
Spaghetti all’assassina (“Killer” Spaghetti)
If you follow Italian food trends, you’ve probably heard of spaghetti all’assassina aka “Killer” Spaghetti. From its humble beginnings as a local favorite in Puglia’s capital city of Bari, the dish has morphed into an international hit among foodies in the past couple of years. I’m a bit late to … Read More
Troccoli con cime di rapa e cozze
I’m just back from a two week trip to Italy, where we visited Rome, my old stomping grounds, and Puglia, the southern region where my paternal grandfather Lorenzo was born. It was a memorable trip, my first time back in Rome in years and, believe it or not, my first … Read More
Cozze alla tarantina (Mussels Taranto Style)
From the city of Taranto in the region of Puglia comes this a simple but tasty take on mussels, cozze alla tarantina, or Mussels Taranto Style. Taranto has been famous for its exquisite mussels since ancient times, when their deliciousness was praised by such luminaries as Pliny the Elder. Taranto … Read More
Cremolata di pesche (Peach Cremolata)
Perhaps due to Italy’s hot summers, Italian cuisine, especially southern Italian cuisine, offers a dazzling variety of frozen desserts. Gelato is probably the most popular type, but then there’s also sorbetto and granita as well. And each type comes in a wide variety of flavors. We’ve covered many of these … Read More
