As I was walking along Sant’Agata’s sunny ‘panoramica’ and basking in the delicious warmth of the longer days,  I marveled at the explosion of greens, yellows, whites and pinks coursing through the countryside that, until a week ago, had seemed dead to the world.

I rounded the homeward bend, and while keeping an eye on my dog, who was furiously pouncing on the grass in the hopes of arousing a lizard, I was blown away by a vision of grace and beauty that embellishes so many Italian villas, walls, balconies, pergolas, terraces, banisters and rails and that more than anything embodies the promise of Spring: the wisterias in bloom.

Introduced into Europe in 1816 and Italy in1840, the plant originally comes from the Orient where it is known as the ‘blue vine’.  There are many varieties of wisteria ranging from white to yellow and even red, but the one commonly seen in Italy sports abundant flowers in a mixture of lilac and lavender.  The plant can reach a height of 40 meters and if well-supported, can grow to a length of 80 meters!

The Italian name, glicine, comes from the same Greek word which means ‘sweet plant’. (Introduced into America in the 1700’s the ‘wisteria’ was named after the German anthropologist Kaspar Wistar)

Like all the best things in life, the wisteria’s bloom is over much too soon, but fortunately it flourishes again in June and July and its lush, green leaves provide welcome relief from the unforgiving August sun.

To view this article at Italian Notebook with fotos click here

Without a doubt, grain is the characteristic ingredient of this recipe.  If you have the time and feel up to the challenge, here’s how you cook the grain from scratch: soak 250 gr of dried grain in cold water for three days, changing it regularly.  Rinse it well and fill a pot with enough water to cover the grain by about four inches.  Bring the water to a boil and add the grain, cover and cook for one hour.  Add enough water to cover the grain the again and cook on a low flame for another 3 to 4 hours.  During this time check to make sure that the grain is covered and if necessary add boiling water to cover. When tender, drain the grain and then reweigh the correct amount for the recipe.
If you’re like 95% of the pastiera-makers on the planet, buy the pre-cooked grain in jars.
Note that Stella does not use the “Secret Agent of Spring”, but prefers fresh orange and lemon zest. Cinnamon is optional. She also avoids using candied fruits, but incorporates the local tradition of the Sannio,  using Strega and Rum.

(recipe for 2 pies)

Short pastry or pasta frolla used to line the pie pan (to be made the evening before)
On a pastry board or in a mixer blend:
500 gr low-gluten flour
250 gr sugar
250 gr cold butter
3 eggs
one packet of vanilla powder

Lightly knead ingredients together into an elastic dough and wrap in plastic and place in refrigerator overnight.

Pastiera pie filling:
500 gr fresh ricotta (preferably mixture of cow and sheep)
275 gr cooked grain
200 gr milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
5  eggs
250 gr sugar
½ tablespoon lemon zest
½ tablespoon orange zest
25 gr Strega
25 gr. Rum
2    9” x 1 1/2 “ or  23 x 4 cm round baking tins

Pour the cooked grain into a pot, add the butter and lemon zest and cover with milk.  Bring to a slow boil over a low flame, stirring until the mixture becomes a dense cream. Cool.

Beat together the ricotta, sugar, eggs, orange zest, rum and Strega and add to the cooled cream mixture.

Roll the short pastry into a fine crust and line the pie tins.  Make sure you have enough extra dough to make the strips that will criss-cross on top.

Add the pastiera mixture to about 1 cm below the edge of the pie crust

Cut 6 strips of dough approximately 1.5 wide and 23cm long. Starting from the middle of the pie, place the first strip across the center and the other two equidistantly between it and the rim of the baking tin.  Then turn the pan and place the other three strips at a diagonal to form a diamond pattern in diamond.

Bake at 200° C for one hour.

View at Italian Notebook

The other day I was walking by the pharmacy in my little town of S. Agata dè Goti. It is run by the Viola family and I was surprised to see a long line of women waiting to enter the door.  What was going on?  Had there been a sudden epidemic or an accident of some sort?

As I neared the door, I was relieved to see that the women didn’t seem at all upset, but were animatedly discussing a momentous topic: the dish that would be gracing every table on Easter Sunday, the symbol of Neapolitan pastry: la pastiera.

Pastiera is a delicious and nutritious pie make of ricotta, boiled grain, eggs, lard, milk, sugar, spices and candied fruits cooked in a pastry shell in an appropriate pan called ‘il ruoto’.  It is baked on Holy Thursday and Good Friday and is served on Easter Sunday, which allows enough time for the fragrances to mix, giving it its unique flavor.

It has, however, a secret ingredient: aqua di fiori d’arancio or aroma of orange blossoms.

The origins of this recipe goes back to the cult of Ceres, Roman goddess of agriculture, fertility and motherly love, whose worshipers brought grain, eggs, milk and honey in procession to celebrate the rebirth of life in Spring.

But pastiera as it is known today was developed in the peace and quiet of the ancient convent of San Gregorio Armeno in Naples, rather appropriately built on the ruins of the temple dedicated to Ceres.  The story goes that the nuns decided to develop a recipe that would signify the Resurrection: eggs symbolizing Life and orange blossoms denoting innocence, chastity, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness.  They made hundreds of these pies and distributed them at Easter to the wealthy patrons of Naples.

But where does one find aroma of orange blossoms? That was what I was about to find out at Mrs. Viola’s pharmacy. There on the counter, next to the chapstick, was a basket full of little bottles with yellow labels stating: “ Farmacia Viola,  S. Agata dei Goti (BN), Essenza per Colombe”.  There was no list of ingredients on the bottle, but my curiosity was so tickled that I had to buy a bottle.

When I returned home, I unscrewed the top and sure enough, a heady perfume of orange and cinnamon filled my nostrils with the aroma of pastiera.

Ahhhh! Spring is here at last!

By Leslie Xavier. See original Italian Notebook article here

Each year during Carnevale, animated giants inhabit the streets of Putignano in Puglia. These allegorical paper-maché creations are approximately 4 stories high! Very much like floats in parades the world over, they gracefully glide down the streets. Hidden Lilliputians guide the animations of these modern Gullivers, barely missing lamp posts and balconies along the route.

Each float is created with a theme that carries a social or political satirical message. One of the favorites was the float addressing the oil spill in the U.S. A diver in a dive suit of stars and stripes paddles and swims amid a very “Finding Nemo” undersea world. At the base of the float a very conspicuous cork bobbles precariously in a “British Petroleum” pipeline.

The parade is highlighted by events such as Tarantella dancing, live music, and a host of people dressed for the occasion. The event is definitely family oriented with a children’s parade during the day and plenty of lively actors and street musicians.

Putignano claims to have the oldest and longest Carnevale, its origin dating to December 26th, 1394, with the transfer of St Stefan’s relics from Monopoli to Putignano. During this transfer of the relics, it is said that local farmers formed a procession with dancing, singing and reciting rhymes, hence the beginning of the Carnevale!

Nowadays the Carnevale in Putignano begins December 26th and ends on Martedi’ Grasso (Shrove Tuesday). The end of Carnevale is marked in a unique way as “extreme unction” is administered by fake priests using a toilet bowl brush and water from a miniature toilet, “priso”. Sprinkling the crowd with “holy water” they bring a close to Carnevale as the bells of the church tolls 365 times.

While other cities such as Venice are mobbed by visitors, amazingly this parade remains off the beaten paths of pit stops for Carnevale. There is a parade each Sunday with the big parade being on Martedi Grasso (March 8th this year), so there is still time to join in the fun!

You can get more information at Carnevale di Putignano.