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Olive Oil

Traditional Food Of Puglia

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When you look at the map of Italy, Puglia or Apulia in English, forms the heel of the country’s boot. This sunny agricultural region in southeastern Italy is one of the most fertile and offering an excess of fresh and flavorful food. Take a short and tasty journey around the traditional cuisine of Puglia.

BREAD

Puglia region is rich in durum wheat which is used for making pasta and bread. It is served with every meal and comes in diverse shapes and sizes. In some places like the city of Altamura you will find locals baking their own bread in traditional ovens. One of the most famous bread snacks include crunchy taralli, which are baked stick rings spiced with fennel, black pepper or onion.

Italian Restaurant in east London

OLIVE OIL

Italy is the second biggest producer of olive oil, about 40 percent of which comes from Puglia. It is no surprise that most Italian dishes are sprinkled with this fruity liquid. It can add an exceptional taste to even a simple dish.

Quality Olive Oil

CHEESE

The region of Puglia offers a wide array of cheeses. The most popular is burrata made from mozzarella and cream. When you cut into it, you will discover rich-tasting milky filling. Another cheeses are Caciocavallo Podolico, an aromatic strong cheese made from cows’ milk or Canestrato Pugliese, which is sheep’s milk hard cheese that the locals often grate on their pasta or pizza.

Puglian Cheese on pizza in London

PASTA

Italians are very passionate about pasta and every region has its own shape. In Puglia it is Orecchiette, which means little ears as it resembles small ears. It is handmade with durum wheat semolina flour instead of plain flour and without eggs.

Italian Red Pasta

 

Historically, Puglia was a poor region and Puglian people could not afford to eat meat on a daily basis. However, the warm climate makes Puglia a perfect place for vegetables to grow in abundance. Fresh seasonal tomatoes, pepper, aubergines, and courgettes are marvels of Puglian dishes, whether grilled, stuffed or used to make sauces. There is also a large variety of fish including sea bass, anchovies, or cuttlefish. Puglia is home to simple, delicious and healthy food.

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The best of Italian Food !

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Discover the most exceptional Italian flavours and soak up the atmosphere of buzzy Italian restaurants. But before you satisfy your senses, read about 10 tasty dishes we serve at Piccolo Restaurant. Buon appetito!

Bruschetta Italiana

Start your culinary journey with a toasted bread spread with olive oil and crushed garlic. It is served with a mixture of freshly chopped tomatoes and basil.

Italian food east london

Calamari Fritti

For those who love seafood, this will be a delight. Fresh squid is deep fried and served with a slice of lemon. The crisp calamari and a glass of chilled drink will make an excellent starter.

simle starters are the best starters

Caprese

This is one of the most delicious salads. This excellent summer dish combines fresh Buffalo Mozzarella cheese with juicy tomatoes and flavourful basil. “Insalata Caprese” is sprinkled with extra-virgin olive oil.

Italian food london

Spaghetti alla Bolognese

Take delight in tasting full-flavoured meat sauce tossed with strands of spaghetti. The dish is topped with a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese. It tastes delicious thanks to a tried and tested recipe.

spaghetti

Lasagne Verdi ‘Emiliana

Treat yourself with one of the staples of the Italian cuisine. This classic lasagna comes from Emilia region, which is known for its fragrant and tasty food. This mouth-watering dish consists of layers of pasta with Bolognese and béchamel, which are baked in the oven.

Fegato Veneziana

Calf liver is a part of traditional Venetian cuisine and an ideal main course. It is known around the world for its unique taste. Thinly sliced liver with caramelized onion and a splash of white wine is perfectly paired with demi-glace sauce.

hungry

Bistecca al Pepe Verde

If you are a meat lover, you will take delight in tasting Scottish sirloin steak. It is accompanied by green pepper and brown sauce. The meat will go great with one of vegetable side dishes from our menu.

Petto di Pollo Caruso

Enrico Caruso, an Italian operatic tenor would have praised this dish in his songs! Try the delicious chicken breast topped with mushroom and tomato sauce.

Sea Bass alla Griglia

The sea bass or “branzino” is a Mediterranean fish and an exquisite dish. You will have a plate of a boneless fillet. Try the grilled sea bass either with tomato or with wine sauce.

Pizza Diavola

Spice up your evening with this peppery dish! It contains tomatoes and Mozzarella cheese, but also chillies and pepperoni sausage which give the pizza a spicy kick.

pizza

 

As for Italian cuisine, there is much more to discover. That is why, we will gladly see you at Piccolo and pamper your taste buds with our delicious food.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Wines of Puglia

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The Italian region of Puglia, sometimes known among English speakers as Apulia is widely recognized for its potential of winemaking. It lies in the far eastern part of the “boot” of Italy stretching along the coastline. It is home to many full-blooded local varieties of grapes such as the Negroamaro, Primitivo or aromatic Malvasia that give birth to the most prominent wines of the region.1
2The Negroamaro grapes grown only in Puglia are used exclusively for winemaking. They produce wines particularly deep in colour with a very rustic character. They typically combine incense aroma with early bitterness when used on its own and when blended produce easily the best wines of the region.

 
3The black skinned grapes of Primitivo, is a variety also known as Zinfandel. The strain has been traditionally grown in Punglia from 18th century. It fills the wine with red berry fruit flavours when cultivated in the cooler parts of Puglia or blackberry anise and pepper notes if grown in the warmer parts of the region.

 
4Malvasia is a very old family of grapes that were grown primarily in the Mediterranean. They are believed to be Greek in origin. Their fruits are typically white. Malvasia Nera is distinctive for its aromatic dark thin skinned fruits that make mainly dry sparkling and sweet wines. They often produce the taste of cherries and plum.

 
5Another local variety from Puglia is Uva di Troia. It is grown primarily around the regions of Adria, Barletta and the province of Bari. It is sometimes used by solo, but often blended with sweet grape varieties like Montepulciano or Bambino Nero. It creates a juicy and ripe yet earthy aroma.

 
6Verdeca is a rare white breed exclusively grown in Puglia. Once used in Vermouth production, now it is mainly used for blending. Bouquets of the wines made from this variety, range from neutral and herbal to aromatic and citrusy. The Verdeca on its own has mineral slightly smell and tend have a “flinty” note.

 

Among all the wines produced in the region, there are many that are “DOC” branded by “controlled designation of origin”. Their process and place of production is under strict protection by European law. This defines the vast majority of reds form the south part of the region, the northern white wines based on Impigno as well as the middle and south rose blends made mainly from Ottavianello variety.

The Mediterranean climate in the area allows persistent sea breezes. There are iron-rich soils and the abundance of sunshine in the region. It defines the dark colours of the local strains, develops their flavour and allows to grow ripe and sweet. All that allows viticulture in Puglia to flourish and make the region an essential place of visit for wine lovers.