Orecchiette pasta with ventresca of black piglet

Dish with an intense, rustic yet sophisticated taste. Orecchiette pasta is homemade with wheat flour, a unique, traditional Apulian ingredient made by roasting wheat, rich in nutrients and with a pleasantly smoky flavor. It is the chef’s touch, but the recipe can be simplified at home by buying orecchiette pasta.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

Orecchiette: 200 g durum wheat flour; 80 g wheat flour; 140 g water;
Cream of zucchini: 150 g zucchini; 1 shallot; 1 clump of parsley;
Buffalo cream: 50 g buffalo mozzarella; 25 g fresh cream; 1 tablespoon Evo oil; Salt;
Pecorino cheese patties: 125 g stale breadcrumbs; 1 egg; 40 g grated pecorino cheese; 30 g breadcrumbs; Salt and pepper; Parsley;
Dressing: 200 g cherry tomatoes; 80 g pork belly; garlic; basil

Procedure:

Prepare the orecchiette Start by kneading the flours with water until the dough is smooth and elastic. Form a dough ball with the dough and let it rest for 30 min. Then proceed to make the orecchiette.

For the cream of zucchini: Cut zucchini into small pieces and in a saucepan pour a drop of oil, chopped shallot and brown; add zucchini, parsley leaves, a glass of water and simmer for 15 minutes. Afterwards with a minipimer blend everything making the cream and adjust the salt.

Blend, in a glass, the buffalo mozzarella with the other ingredients and keep aside for the buffalo cream.

For the patties, soak the breadcrumbs with a little water for a few minutes, squeeze it out and transfer it to a bowl. Add the egg, pecorino cheese, breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper and mix well until smooth. Next, make small patties and then fry them.

For the sauce, cut the cherry tomatoes in half and candy them in a 160°C oven for 20 minutes.

In a frying pan, pour a tablespoon of oil, minced garlic and brown. Add diced ventresca, followed by candied cherry tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, adjust salt and add basil.

Meanwhile, cook orecchiette pasta in plenty of salted water.

In the ready-made sauce, add the pre-fried meatballs and orecchiette, and toss with a drizzle of Evo oil.

Proceed with the implantation, placing a ladleful of zucchini cream and the orecchiette pasta with their seasoning, and lastly pour in drops of buffalo cream.

Wine pairing:

(Edited by Stefania Vinciguerra)

Salina Red Lighthouse Keeper 2021 Colosi

Ruby red. Intense aromas of ripe red fruit along with very balsamic notes, pine needles, thyme, marjoram, juniper, Mediterranean scrub. Fresh and agile in the mouth, with well-present but smooth tannins and very long, fruity finish.

Production area: Malfa, in the locality of Porri in Capo Faro di Salina (ME), on the Aeolian Islands. Vineyard in the selected plot 523 overlooking the Capo Faro promontory with its ancient lighthouse (hence the name of the wine). Volcanic soil.

Grape varieties: 100% Nerello Mascalese. Guyot training system.

Harvest: Harvesting, by hand, takes place during the last week of September.

Production processes: Prolonged maceration on the skins to enhance structure and color pigments. Aged in oak barrels for about one year.

Alcohol content: 14% vol.

Serving temperature: 16-18°C

Recommended pairings: Mature cheeses, elaborate sauces and barbecued meats.

Bottles produced: 3,500, individually wrapped in navy blue tissue and placed inside a painted wooden box.