Apulian recipe
Grandpa's Orecchiette with Burnt Wheat, Apulian Dried Tomatoes, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and Burrata
Farmer's orecchiette are a traditional Apulian dish, and the orecchiette themselves are the symbol of traditional Apulian cuisine. In dialect, they're called "l' strascnat," literally "dragged," from the custom of dragging the pasta across the Tavoliere (a traditional work surface) with your finger to create a round, concave shape. Traditionally, this pasta is handmade, which makes it even more special and unsurpassed.
Let's go shopping:
- 500g of orecchiette
- 300g burrata
- 120 g dried tomatoes
- extra virgin olive oil to taste
- 1 clove of garlic
How to prepare it
Soak the sun-dried tomatoes in hot water for no more than 10 minutes. Then, dry them and chop them into chunks. Sauté the garlic until golden, then add the tomatoes. Meanwhile, cook the orecchiette in plenty of salted water. Mix well with the sauce. Add half of the chopped burrata to achieve a perfect creaminess. Finish by plating the orecchiette with the remaining burrata.
The places of the recipe
Sun-dried tomatoes are a typical Apulian product, traditionally prepared in about ten days. Thanks to the drying process, these fruits of the earth can be enjoyed year-round. This process is practiced throughout Puglia, but especially in Salento. It's not uncommon, especially in the summer months, to see long rows of tomatoes drying in the sun in the Lecce countryside. With the addition of salt and white vinegar, in the final stage of preparation, the tomatoes acquire important qualities that allow them to enhance recipes from the simplest to the most imaginative. Processing preserves their sweetness, the flavor becomes more pronounced, and the sun imparts a unique crunch. Burrata is also a typical product of our region. Typical of the city of Andria (known for its famous octagonal castle, "Castel del Monte," built by Frederick II), burrata is unlike any other mozzarella; its interior contains a unique filling, created with a mixture of cream and shreds of stretched curd cheese, known as stracciatella.