An Ancient Ritual: Candied Orange Peels – by Flavia – SpaghettiAbc

An ancient ritual, a treat to be enjoyed on the coldest and darkest days. Candied orange peels are great to eat like this, as an energy snack, or covered with chocolate. They can be added to different cakes to give them a special scent.

Our friend Flavia of Spaghetti ABC gave us her version of these candied orange peels. Flavia is a free food thinker, nomadic pasta maker between Italy and Sweden. If you are curios to know how she connects the South with the North Europe, keep on reading :-))

Flavia recommends to sip a glass of Gelso d’Oro – 100% Nero di Troia red wine from Apulia while you are eating some candied orange peels.

🍷Francesca & Marinella🍴

INGREDIENTS
Ready in 20 min + 4 days to rest 

2 oko oranges
sugar cane
water

METHOD

Engrave the peel on each orange into 6 vertical segments. Remove each segment and then cut each vertically into 1 cm-wide strips. 

Drain the peels, weigh them and place into a pan. Add as much water and sugar as the weight of the peels. Cook over medium heat until all the water is absorbed.

Let them cool placing them well away from each other for at least an hour on a baking paper sheet for at least an hour. Keep them in an airtight container.

So, let’s get to know Flavia!

I’m Flavia Giordano and I’m originally from Bari (Puglia). I currently live in Lund – Sweden, even if I’m a “live and work – commuter”, as I like to think of myself, between Puglia and Sweden. I go back to Puglia often, not only to meet my family and friends but also for my job.  My business is about food. I like to get my hands dirty with the food that’s why I organize cooking classes about how to make the real Italian pasta, with durum wheat.  Twice a year I organize food – tours addressed to the Scandinavian people who want to come and visit the Puglia region. During the tours I want them to be part of a sensorial journey around the food, meeting the producers and tasting on the spot our amazing products like mozzarella, oil, wine, cheese. 

Besides that, I’m community manager and digital strategist for Cookpad, the worldwide community platform for people to share recipe ideas and cooking tips. I am in charge of food events in Italy, online initiatives and now I am coordinating a project about online cooking classes.

Talking about food, what’s your favourite Italian recipe which you use to prepare often and easily?

Coming from Apulia, I’m an orecchiette pasta lover, especially when they are seasoned with a simple fresh tomato sauce, basil, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Another option that I love is the orecchiette with Cime di Rape (Broccoli Rabe). Unfortunately in Sweden, I can’t find the Broccoli Rabe, so I tried to replace them with Broccoli or Rapeseed.

I make a lot of homemade semolina pasta in different shapes, like cavatelli, trofie… I cook a lot of vegetables, to prepare in various ways: soups, pestos, au gratin. I don’t have a recipe that I prepare often as I like to experience different ingredients and cuisines. My staple recipes come mainly from the Southern cuisine in which the main ingredients are mostly legumes, vegetables, and fish.d fish.

What product from Italy do you miss the most?

When I’m in Sweden I miss a good Mozzarella and a good Stracchino cheese. I’m aware that being fresh cheeses, easily perishable, they should be eaten where they are produced.

A few days ago, on Instagram, I saw a picture of fried olives with tomatoes that made my mouth water. This is a delicious Apulian recipe that people prepare in November and December, during the olive harvest. I look forward to celebrating Christmas in my hometown to taste this dish.

What do you miss of the Italian culture and traditions?

Here in Lund, especially during the winter season, the rhythms are different from those I was used to in Southern Italy. During week days, after 18:00, people are already gathering in their own houses and there’s nobody on the street. In Italy that’s the time of day during which people mingle in the street or in pubs, sipping a good glass of wine. In short, I miss the community life typical especially of the South.

Which place in Italy do you love particularly and you would suggest for our followers to visit?

Like any true Apulian girl, I’m in love with my region and I think that you should visit Apulia at least once in life.

I have a deep affection for my city Bari, characterized by a charming historic centre and an enjoyable seafront promenade.

I have a special love for Monopoli and Putignano, two Apulian coastal cities not too far from Bari. Monopoli, surrounded by its wonderful historical muraglia, is an enjoyable city to visit not only during the summer. It is a vibrant city rich in cultural events, like the PhEST, an interesting international festival of photography, held in Monopoli’s old town.

I’m also a fan of Lecce, the Itria Valley, and the Apulian countryside surrounded by ancient olive trees. I think it is also worth visiting the small villages off of the touristic track, like the ones in Southern Salento.

If I had to recommend another region I would say Sicilia. This summer I had a chance to visit this region and I have to admit I fell completely in love with it. Sicily is mighty, is a volcano, is sea, is mountain. It is an emotional island. The town that remained in my heart is Scicli. Its baroque soul together with its sleepy atmosphere, typical of the Southern Italian cities, literally amazed me.

These are all carachteristics that can be found in many cities in Italy and that I miss the most.