The taste of summer at Frantoio

The authentic flavors and traditional recipes

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  1.Porcellana salad

  The “portaluca” or porcellana salad, it’s a crunchy vegetables and meaty with diuretic and refreshing effects. A spontaneous herb that can be eaten alone or served in salads, with a very pleasant taste with numerous vitamins, proteins and minerals. What really makes this a unique plant is the fickleness of its taste, which can vary according to the phases of the day when the salad is collected: a flavor much more acidic in the morning because of the carbon dioxide absorbed during the whole night. We include it in the salad of vegetables, served with tomatoes Queen (Slow Food Presidium), or the rogue also called “carousel”, for a fresh and nutritious dish perfect for summer.

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  2. White eggplant

  The white eggplant is a real “gem” of our garden. It has fewer seeds and less water in them, while the typically bitter statement released from the peel of the classic eggplant gives way to a much more gentle and delicate taste. Good for those suffering from disorders of cholesterol and to prevent cellular aging thanks to the presence of antioxidants. Our cooks use it in different recipes, but the must of Ristorante Il Frantoio is definitely the “parmigiana” prepared according to the recipe typical of Puglia.

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  3. Torre Guaceto tomatoes

  The tomato of Torre Guaceto (between Carovigno and Brindisi), is a part of the gastronomic history of these lands. This tomato is able to keep for a long all the organoleptic qualities that characterize it and make it famous throughout Apulia and beyond. At Frantoio we use it in a thousand different ways, but mostly as sauce of our special welcome “pizzelle”. A real treat for the palate of our guests who are never tired to try again!

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  4. Flower of Feijoa

  This exotic plant with sweet fruit and the intense fragrance, blooms between the months of May and June. Only for 20 days a year, our guests can enjoy its white petals as an accompaniment to dessert. The white flowers with red-purple stamens, are showy and edible. The petals in fact have a sweet flavor and crunchy perfect for salads or combined with homemade desserts. A delight that melts in the mouth with a surprising taste.

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  5. Pasta alla contadina

  This is a baked pasta with eggplant sauce, a simple dish which has in its simplicity all its essence. According to tradition it was the favorite dish of the farmers who, after a hard day’s work in the fields, could appease their hunger enjoying all the nutritional benefits of this main course with a great taste. This is the original recipe provided directly by the cooks of the Masseria Il Frantoio:
  
   INGREDIENTS

  • 2 kg. of broken coarse paste
  • 4 eggplantse
  • 1 bottle of tomato puree
  • 250 gr. of chopped tomatoes
  • oregano
  • 1 fresh scamorza
  • grated pecorino cheese 50 gr.
  • grated Parmesan cheese 50 gr.
  • 1 medium-sized onion
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • salt and pepper
    
    
    
    

  PREPARATION 

  
  Cut the garlic into small pieces and finely chop the onion. In a large saucepan pour in the oil and, after heating a little ‘add the chopped herbs. Let the oil to perfume and add eggplant cut in not too small cubes. When the eggplants have absorbed the oil, slowly add the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for about an hour with a low flame. Boil the pasta after draining, pass it in a large bowl where season it with a little olive oil grated cheese oregano and part of the preparation ragout. Finally, add the pieces of smoked cheese. 
  
  Drizzle with remaining sauce and bake at 200 degrees for a quarter of an hour. 
  
  N.B. The pasta should be put in the own almost raw otherwise tends to overcook. Enjoy your meal!