This week we want to bring you in the Puglia region, and more precisely in Cisternino town, the heart of Itria Valley. We recently had the pleasure of spending a few hours together with Giorgio and Giuseppe, the owners of  Il Cucco Cucina Enoteca, eating delectable food and sipping a glass (or more :-)) of  “Nero di Troia” red wine gently suggested by Walkingwine.

During that day, Giorgio and Giuseppe prepared the recipe that you can find at the end of the page, called “La Tagliata di Capocollo with Radicchio and Parmesan Cheese”. This is their reworked version of the “bombetta pugliese“, a classic dish from the local cuisine.  The “bombetta pugliese” is a seasoned, and sometimes breaded, slice of capocollo meat, rolled up around a piece of cheese and then grilled.

To enhance the structured flavours of this dish, the wondering Walkingwine street-wine shop recommended to pair a glass of Nero di Troia  di Terre Carsiche.

Giorgio and Giuseppe’s passion for gastronomy has grown over the years. Sons of well-known restaurateurs of the Itria Valley area, they have always been fascinated by the good wine and good food.
After many years spent travelling around Europe, in 2005 they decided to open a sought-after restaurant in Cisternino that offers food and wine pairings. They base their pairings on an extensive wine list and a large number of reworked Apulian dishes.
Since 2005, Il Cucco offers a dynamic menu full of flavours and aromas that follows the seasonality of the ingredients and the tradition of Apulian cuisine, sometimes with an International twist.

Two years later, the owners decided to dedicate a part of the restaurant to an enoteca (wine – shop) offering a huge selection of wines.

 

The Dish: Grilled Capocollo Tagliata Pork Meat with Radicchio and Parmesan

INGREDIENTS for 4 servings:
4 uniform slices Capocollo pork meat, 1 cm thick
bread crumbs
salt, to taste
a splash of vinegar, extra virgin olive oil
chioggia radicchio
fresh grounded parmesan cheese, to taste

The capocollo is upper portion of the pig’s neck and part of the shoulder, interspersed with streaks of fat, and with a soft taste.

Pour the bread crumbs in a bowl and season with salt and vinegar. Lay the pork slices, 1 at the time, on the crumble bread, and with your fingers press until obtaining an uniform  bread coating. Turn the slice and repeat.

Pre – heat a cast-iron grill pan over high heat. To avoid the meat sticking to the grill pan brush the meat with a thin layer of oil. Lay the slices on the pan and grill the meat until the juices ooze on the top (for a rare meat). Then, using a spatula, flip the meat and let grill until slightly charred.  Cook it longer for medium or well done.

When the meat is ready, let rest for few minutes.

Pre- heat the oven at 180°C. Slice the steak on the diagonal, no thicker than one-half inch. Move the meat onto a baking pan, cover with radicchio (washed and chopped), season with salt and finish with sliced parmesan cheese. Cook it in the oven for a few minutes or until the parmesan is melted. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.

The wine: Nero di Troia di Terre Carsiche – IGT –  Castel del Monte – Puglia

Wine cellar: Terre Carsiche, historic company that produces wine in the heart of Puglia
Grape variety: Nero di Troia
Sensory characteristics.
– Color: deep red wine with orange and violet shades.
– Smell: intense bouquet with scent of violet and black fruits.
– Taste: full bodied and soft, slightly spicy
Vinification.
– Fermentation: in steel tanks at controlled temperature.
– Fermentation period: 10 – 12 days.
Serving Temperature: 18º/20º
Food Pairing: Perfect with roasted red meat, wild game meat and seasoned cheese.