Bari, Puglia
The canonical pasta of Bari: orecchiette (hand-made semolina pasta pressed with the thumb into ear-shaped cups) cooked together with blanched cime di rapa (broccoli rabe) in the same pot, then ripassata (sautéed again) in olive oil with garlic, desalted anchovy dissolved into the oil, and fresh chilli. The anchovy provides a background umami that most diners cannot identify but would miss. The orecchiette must be made by hand — the cup shape only forms correctly with the thumb pressure technique.
Toothsome semolina cups and bitter-bright broccoli rabe in anchovy-scented olive oil — the pasta of Bari's morning markets, eaten at noon, unchanged for centuries
{"Orecchiette dough: semolina rimacinata only, no egg; hydration 50%; rest 30 min covered","Shape: cut 1cm discs; drag each disc across a wooden board with the tip of a knife, pressing and rolling; flip over the thumb","Cime di rapa: blanch briefly (1 min) in the same salted water that will cook the pasta","Cook orecchiette and cime together in the final 2 min of pasta cooking","Ripassare: olive oil, sliced garlic, dissolved anchovy (2 fillets per portion), fresh chilli, drained pasta and cime"}
{"Briciole (breadcrumbs toasted in olive oil) scattered over the top are the Bari tradition, not Parmigiano","The pasta cooking water is essential for the ripassare — it emulsifies the anchovy oil and clings to the pasta","Aged ricotta salata grated over the top adds salt and a creamy counterpoint to the bitter greens"}
{"Machine-pressed orecchiette — the authentic thumb-drag creates a rough surface that holds sauce differently","Omitting the anchovy — it is the invisible backbone; the dish tastes flat without it","Overcooking the cime — they should be vibrant green and slightly al dente when the pasta finishes cooking"}
La Cucina Pugliese — Carmela Pomilio