Italian cuisine is full of ancient and typical recipes playing fun at the Church: at Cook & Meet we prepared spinach and flour dumplings called “strozzapreti”, literally “strangle the priest”, last week we enjoyed a farmer´s herb called “friar´s beard”, so now it is time to feast with “tette delle monache”, literally “nuns´ boobs”. The name of this typical dessert of the charming town of Altamura comes from the fact that these cupcakes remind the breast of a woman in shape and … texture: “pan di Spagna” soft pastry filled with a tasty cream called “diplomatic” and topped with icing sugar. At the cherry festival of “ciliegie Ferrovia” in Turi, they even topped them with a “nipple” cherry.
We appreciated this delightful sweet at Caffe´Ronchi, a historical café´ known as well for “Padre Peppe” walnuts liqueur, produced according to a 400 years old recipe of a friar Beppe, still prepared by the Cloistered Nuns of Monastero di Santa Chiara in the form of digestive elisir.
We appreciated this delightful sweet at Caffe´Ronchi, a historical café´ known as well for “Padre Peppe” walnuts liqueur, produced according to a 400 years old recipe of a friar Beppe, still prepared by the Cloistered Nuns of Monastero di Santa Chiara in the form of digestive elisir.
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Notwithstanding such irreverent homage to the nun´s virtues, a miniature of the café´ in the form of a pagan Nativity set is hosted by the nearby Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, built in 1232 by Frederick II of Swabia, emperor of the Holy See, declared free of any archiepiscopal jurisdiction.
“Big sinners, big cathedrals”, we say in Italian.
“Big sinners, big cathedrals”, we say in Italian.
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Entering Altamura you are greeted by a signpost "Welcome to Bread City", proudly announcing its typical bread, which deserves a DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin) thanks to specific varieties of local wheat, certain specification of water, and a consistent production method unchanged since the 15th century.
In our favourite bakery, the shape is strictly a “priest´s hat”, however the queen of the place is their focaccia: a soft heart with crunchy skin thanks to the deep wood-fired oven, the (very) generous amount of EVO oil poured all over the place, and the experts hands of the baker who flips the focaccia over to be baked on both sides.
In our favourite bakery, the shape is strictly a “priest´s hat”, however the queen of the place is their focaccia: a soft heart with crunchy skin thanks to the deep wood-fired oven, the (very) generous amount of EVO oil poured all over the place, and the experts hands of the baker who flips the focaccia over to be baked on both sides.
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A stock of white and tomato & artichoke focaccia, a few slices of “ventricina” spicy salame and we are off towards the Ionic coast of Puglia, rightfully referred to as “The Maldives of the Mediterranean”. Keep following us for more discoveries and travel tips.
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