Posted on
May 27, 2010 by
Stile Mediterraneo
Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School Puglia celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2010!
Because of such an important event, we are hosting special PIZZA, FOCACCIA and BREAD cooking classes at our cooking school in Puglia.
On these days, cooking classes will focus on the preparation of traditional Italian pizza, bread and focaccia from Puglia.
Classes will be at a very special price! Contact us at info.stile@gmail.com to book a place.
Dates:
June 19, 2010
July 9, 2010
September 19, 2010.
Hope you will join us!
If you are interested in our Pasta days click here!
For more information about our cooking classes please visit the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School Calendar or subscribe to our newsletter.
Stile Mediterraneo is ranked #1 Best Thing to do in Puglia on Tripadvisor!
Tags: bread cooking classesPuglia cooking classes
Category
Focaccia & Bread, Focaccia, Bread & Pizza, Italy Cooking classes
Posted on
January 18, 2010 by
Stile Mediterraneo
If you travel around Italy, you will certainly notice that food and recipes change completely from region to region and most of the times also from town to town. Even pasta, which is always thought of as the typical Italian food, is made with different ingredients depending on whether you are in the South or North of Italy.
Pizza is certainly one of the few national Italian dishes. Pizza was first made in Naples, but now you find it anywhere in Italy. The pizza dough is always made with the same ingredients: water, yeast, flour, salt, extra virgin olive oil.
What changes from region to region is the thickness of the dough or may be the topping variety.
We are putting together a list of some of the best pizza places in Italy. Please tell us where in Italy you had your best pizza!
For more information please contact us at info.stile@gmail.com
Subscribe to the Stile Mediterraneo Cooking School in Puglia Italy Newsletter
Tags: Italian fooditalian pizza
Category
Focaccia & Bread, Reviews
Posted on
December 13, 2009 by
Stile Mediterraneo
If you want to look very local in Lecce, you need to have an aperitif, before lunch, in the Sant’Oronzo square, like all the Leccese people!
Every day, at 12:0′clock an opera singer announces it is noon….and so aperitif time for the true Leccese people! we go to the Sant’Oronzo square to meet our friends, enjoy the sun and ….of course our aperitif before lunch.
The typical aperitif in Lecce is based on a “Rustico” and a drink, which is known as “bitter Campari”.
Rustico is a savory pastry made of pasta sfoglia (puff pastry) stuffed with mozzarella, tomato sauce, bechamel, black pepper and nutmeg and then baked in the oven.
It has a round shape with a diameter of 12 cm.
Rustico is something you can only find in Lecce and in the Salento area. In no other parts of Puglia or Italy you will find a Rustico.
Bitter Campari is an orange, non-alcoholic drink usually served with ice and a slice of orange. It reminds us of the English pims, but there is no mint and cucumber in it. It is also a bit bitter, that’s why it is called the “bitter Campari”.
Any coffee bar in the Sant’Oronzo square would be perfect for a rustico.
All the coffee bars would have the very local newspaper “Il Quotidiano” where you may find only news about events happening in the Lecce area (from politics, to economics, events etc).
Of course the most followed news are:
-Lecce soccer team
-weather in Puglia
-Horoscope!
-Lottery numbers
For more information about things to do in Puglia and Stile Mediterraneo cooking classes and wine tours in Puglia Italy please write at info.stile@gmail.com or subscribe to the Cooking School newsletter
Tags: Italian food
Category
Focaccia & Bread, lifestyle in Lecce
Posted on
August 19, 2009 by
Stile Mediterraneo
Puglia is becoming more and more famous around the world for the
Altamura bread. This bread has been the first, in the bakery category, to receive the DOP seal (Denomination of Protected Origin) in Europe. The DOP recognition is equivalent to the DOC one for wines.
Its unique taste is the result of the handmade method (a procedure which has been passed on generation after generation) but it is also the result of the specific climatic conditions.
This bread has a typical shape, similar to a hat and a unique yellow color. The crust is very crunchy, the breadcrumb is very soft and the bread can last for many days!
Its production has to follow a specific procedure: it can be made with the durum wheat semolina varieties: “Appulo”, “Arcangelo” which are produced in the Alta Murgia area, in Puglia.
The durum wheat grains can only be milled at the mills in the Altamura area.
The bread must be produced with mother yeast. The only other ingredients are sea salt and water. Water needs to be verified and certified every year, to make sure it answers specific criteria.
Kneading must last 20 minutes, after which the dough rests for about 2 hours in total.
The dough can only be baked in an oak wood oven at 250°C.
For more information about Puglia cuisine and our cooking classes in Puglia please write at
info.stile@gmail.com
Tags: italian bread
Category
Focaccia & Bread, cuisine
Posted on
April 13, 2009 by
Stile Mediterraneo
The “Pasquetta” Day is one the most exciting holiday in Southern Italy. Pasquetta is the day after Easter and literally means the “little Easter”.
All friends and families get together for a whole day outdoor. The tradition wants that one person offers his or her house at the beach or in the countryside; all friends bring something to eat and to drink to be shared with the others.
All friends of friends are welcome and so you can have about 200-300 people in the same house.
The Pasquetta day starts very early in the morning and ends very late at night: it’s all about eating and drinking (as if, we did not have any food on the day before, Easter!!) and playing soccer or volleyball with friends.
All people at any age attend the Pasquetta. For Southern Italians, it’s a tradition! Italians from the north, don’t believe how important the Pasquetta is for us!
This time, I and Marika will bring a ricotta and spinach Focaccia. We thought the focaccia would be perfect for a pic nic and also for all our girlfriends who like vegetables and want to be healthy!
This is the recipe (for 6 servings):
- 250 grams durum wheat flour;
- yeast (better the natural yeast);
- a pinch of sugar;
- 1 kg spinach;
- 150 grams fresh ricotta cheese;
- 70 grams parmesan cheese;
- 2 whole eggs;
- 1 garlic clove;
- pepper;
- salt;
- 2 tbp extra virgin olive oil
Spinach preparation:
In a big saucepan, cook the spinach with the garlic, a pinch of salt and a pinch of spicy pepper. Cook the spinanch at very low flame, stirring and covering with a lid. When they are al dente, remove the garlic, let them cool down and then reduce them in small pieces using a knife. Add 1 egg and the grated parmesan cheese.
Dough preparation:
Add some warm water to the yeast and a pinch of sugar. Mix together the flour with the yeast and water, 1 egg and the 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil. Knead the dough. Add 1 tsp of salt to the dough.
Divide the dough in two pieces and with a rolling pin, make two thin and round layers.
Prepare a baking pan with some olive oil and breadcrumbs. Place the first layer in the baking pan, cover with the spinach and with some pieces of ricotta cheese. Place the second layer on top.
Cook in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes at 180°C (350 F).
Do you have any similar Easter traditions?
Please let us know if you ever make this recipe.
Tags: Easter recipesItalian focacciaItaly vacationsricottaspinach
Category
Cheese, Focaccia & Bread, Focaccia, Bread & Pizza, Puglia, Recipes, Vegetables & Legumes, cuisine
