A Travelogue: Bread in Puglia and Pizza In Naples

On the finish of September 2024, I accompanied a gaggle of The Good Loaf readers by means of southern Italy’s olive tree and cobblestone-lined streets. Although I’ve been to Italy many occasions to go to household, it was my first journey as a vacationer and a information of types, and if I’m being sincere, I wasn’t actually positive what to anticipate.

Would the dialog move? Is the itinerary paced excellent? Did we decide the correct mix of culinary experiences to make this a visit of a lifetime?

The quick reply is sure. Sure to all the above.

From the primary group introductions on the masseria (an Italian farmhouse) to the massive group meal that evening on the fringe of the ocean, all the way in which to the ultimate pizza-fueled meal at Pepe in Grani, not solely have been the company seasoned vacationers charged for journey, nevertheless it was evident there was a shared ardour food—and it was palpable. At every meal you may really feel the enjoyment, see the joy, and listen to the oohs and ahhs because the meals was ready and served.

The group was naturally curious about something and all the things carb-related and never. The fixed jovial dialog got here naturally, with chats starting from Italian tradition to the scrumptious taralli we made earlier that day to the tasting notes in regionally grown and pressed olive oil. All through the journey, I felt like we had all been associates for ages, assembly up after an extended break, sliding again into snug rhythms, and able to journey on a shared expertise.

And from a private perspective, my greatest pleasure on this journey was lastly assembly a gaggle of readers from The Good Loaf face-to-face. (Okay, let’s be actual; the pizza, cheese, and bread have been fairly nice, too.) It’s one factor to e-mail backwards and forwards about fermentation, bread schedules, and mixing strategies; it’s a totally totally different factor to speak, style, and journey collectively.

And so, with our shared ardour for meals and sourdough as a collective aspiration, we launched into a visit by means of the countryside, by means of historic cities wealthy with historical past, to dairy farms with cows housed so splendidly it may have been a high-end AirBnB, all searching for the most effective bread, contemporary cheese, pizza, and extra.

Seize a cup of espresso and settle in. It is a lengthy publish, however I assure you’ll need to see every cease, the unbelievable unique experiences, and discuss a bit in regards to the unbelievable meals we shared.

However First, Why Southern Italy?

Once we began speaking about this journey, it was clear the selection to begin touring with The Good Loaf was in Puglia, the place half of my household is from. I’ve gone again there many occasions to go to household, and these journeys planted the culinary seed for me, inspiring lots of the recipes you’ll discover right here at The Good Loaf (like my focaccia Pugliese). It’s additionally an space steeped in grain, bread, and pizza tradition—three of my favourite issues (and doubtless yours, too).

Now, Naples is a metropolis I’ve by no means visited however have all the time been interested in. It’s the birthplace of pizza by all accounts, and never simply that, there’s the prized sfogliatella (a shell-shaped pastry crammed with ricotta and candied fruit) and a lot extra.

In fact, southern Italy was the proper vacation spot due to my cultural tie-ins and since the meals there’s made slowly with care, consideration, and appreciation. The meals in southern Italy is made in an inconvenient manner, and all good meals ought to be inconvenient.

Who Was Concerned With The Journey?

This journey was put along with my associates at TASTE, an internet site devoted to meals, beverage, and the tradition surrounding it. After publishing my cookbook, I appeared on a podcast interview with TASTE, and that’s when talks a few sourdough-adjacent journey started, with Italy because the best choice.

Matt Rodbard (take a look at Matt’s Instagram; he’s dwelling the meals life I’d prefer to stay), cookbook creator and editor-in-chief of TASTE, and I, together with Tutorial Journey Associates, labored on the itinerary by means of many revisions, handpicking every location and expertise to construct simply the fitting journey.

Matt and I might be co-hosts on the journey, together with the fantastic Angela, Marta, and native metropolis guides. We have been an important crew, and every introduced totally different experiences and insights to enhance the journey.

Day 0: Getting ready and Touring

I wished to have at the very least one sourdough workshop on this journey. The logistics of doing this internationally are potential, however given the remainder of the itinerary, it needed to be one thing we may do in half a day, and I wished no matter it was to function southern Italian delicacies. Enter my sourdough friselle, a recipe I created earlier this 12 months.

How To Journey Internationally with a Sourdough Starter

To guide the workshop, I wanted to convey my sourdough starter, so I made a decision to combine it as much as a stiff consistency, not in contrast to a panettone lievito madre. The small inoculation (carryover ripe starter), decreased hydration, and use of all white flour have been all makes an attempt to scale back fermentation exercise and forestall over-acidification.

Right here’s what I did (you didn’t suppose you’d discover a publish right here with out a nerdy bread desk, did you?):

I blended the above the morning of my flight, wrapped it tightly in a number of layers of plastic movie, then right into a freezer bag. Mixing this to a stiff consistency meant I may danger bringing it as a carry-on, so I positioned it in my backpack and crossed my fingers.

As I handed safety, the guard pulled me apart with my bag and requested me, “What sort of burrito is that this?” I smirked and had the sensation this wasn’t the primary time he had discovered a inexperienced chile burrito in somebody’s backpack. Hey, I don’t blame them; they’re scrumptious.

(If you wish to journey along with your starter—particularly internationally—use my sourdough starter quicksheet and blend it to the stiff consistency listed above or on the sheet.)

After touring for about 24 hours, I unpacked my starter and noticed it was fairly damaged down (above, proper), however the aroma wasn’t off or disagreeable. I used my “sourdough discipline equipment” (small scale, bag of flour, spatula, paper towels, and thermometer) to feed my starter and get it again up to the mark earlier than prepping for the workshop.

Day 1: Welcome and Introductions

The group occupied the whole stunning Masseria Monepaolo, a country but fashionable resort simply exterior Polignano a Mare (which I visited earlier this year with my household).

Many company arrived a day or two early and have been already exploring the place, having breakfast, and even heading into city for a jaunt. I met a couple of early for breakfast, and conversations have been already circling bread and fermentation. After my second cappuccino and a cornetto, I had the sensation this was going to be a actually nice journey.

Later that day, we’d have our first group introduction on the entrance to the masseria earlier than heading to Poglinano a Mare for dinner overlooking the ocean. There couldn’t have been a greater place to begin issues off; the view was spectacular.

After wonderful seafood, pasta, and plenty of bottles of wine, we walked as a gaggle to have gelato at a well-known spot on the town that didn’t disappoint. My first pistachio gelato of the journey (we gained’t maintain rely right here as a result of it’d provide the impression I really like ice cream greater than bread, which isn’t the case, I guarantee you).

After our outing to city, we went our separate methods to get some sleep, however my evening didn’t finish there. My final activity after dinner was to organize the big levain to seed fermentation within the friselle dough I’d be mixing the next day early within the morning.

Day 2: Pane, Olio e Pomodoro

I used to be adamant about main at the very least one hands-on sourdough session on this journey. It took some logistical gymnastics to make it work, however I knew the company wished some devoted dough time and a superb alternative to get any burning sourdough questions coated from the beginning.

Friselle Workshop and lunch

Matt and I headed in early to the masseria’s kitchen to get to mixing. I despatched forward my ingredient checklist earlier than arriving in Italy, and it’s only a pleasure to work with, see, and style such unbelievable flour in Italy. In fact, the prized and regionally grown golden durum flour is top-notch, however so was the integrale, or complete wheat they sourced. Simply take a look at these enormous chunks of name and germ within the dough (beneath, center)!

The massive levain I ready the evening earlier than was tremendous lively and able to combine with the entire wheat and durum flour, native sea salt, and water of their giant spiral mixer. It is a comparatively stiff dough, which makes it simple to form, but additionally ends in friselle which can be extremely crunchy.

A shout out to Matt for the help within the kitchen and to Lucretia (above, proper), the woman little doubt working the present there within the kitchen most days. As is commonly true with Italians, she was pleasant, keen to assist, and took meals and her work within the kitchen very severely. Simply as my nonna used to say, “There’s no time to waste within the kitchen.”

The fruits of our labor this morning—the friselle—have been on the menu for lunch coated in tomatoes, olive oil, and a light-weight drizzle of balsamic, alongside a parmigiana, fried greens, and baked maccheroncini with tomatoes and a caciocavallo fondue.

After all of the baking enjoyable within the morning and a satisfying lunch, it was time to relaxation for a couple of hours, then head to Ostuni.

A Tour of Ostuni, an Olive Oil Tasting, and Dinner

As youngsters, my household and I might typically go to Ostuni, often known as the “white metropolis,” because of the buildings, most of that are painted white. It’s a small picturesque city that’s been round for the reason that Stone Age. An area information took us by means of the traditional metropolis, offering historic context as we explored small squares, workshops, and day by day life.

After the tour, we transferred to Masseria Il Frantoio for an olive oil tasting with a sommelière and dinner on the grounds.

I need to admit this was my first olive oil tasting on this manner, and it was fairly enjoyable. The host walked us by means of the olive varieties and the way they’re grown, harvested, and pressed. Then, we tasted every as she identified the tasting notes.

This jogged my memory of baking lessons I’ve led and brought, the place there’s a gaggle tasting of all of the bread baked that day. Tastings like this are a wonderful approach to step again and interrogate your sense of style, put phrases to sensations that in any other case would possibly go unnoticed, and develop a better appreciation for the meals and what goes into making it.

After the olive oil tasting, we had dinner on the masseria on the grounds, and it was a showstopper. We had an extended service with an revolutionary menu of octopus, inexperienced beans with ricotta, aubergines and mozzarella, grilled veggies, and meat with caciocavallo cheese in a light-weight ragù with potatoes and rosemary. Numerous their olive oil featured all through the menu and bottles of unbelievable wine aplenty.

It was a really full day, however the subsequent one was, in my view, among the best of the whole journey. We lastly obtained to style bread proper in Altamura.

Day 3: Pane di Altamura and Formaggio

Within the morning, we checked out and stated goodbye to our masseria close to Poglinano earlier than taking a big bus to Bari, our base for the following few days. However on the way in which, we’d first cease in at Di Gesù to see how pane di Altamura DOP (a intently ruled fashion of bread particular to this area) is made, from the grain within the discipline to milling the flour to utilizing it in bread and focaccia.

Altamura Bread Making with Di Gesù

Altamura bread is sourdough bread made with durum wheat grown within the surrounding space, giving it a particular shade, taste, and texture. As a result of pure fermentation is used, together with its thick crust and dense crumb, it has a prolonged shelf life if saved correctly. The wealthy taste of this bread is barely bitter with nutty undertones and an virtually candy aftertaste, and the thick, profoundly coloured crust brings notes of toasted grain.

All of that’s to say, it’s freaking scrumptious.

We walked a couple of streets and located the doorway to the bakery proper as we have been greeted by Giuseppe di Gesù, a vigorous and passionate baker whom I imagine is the fifth (perhaps the sixth) era within the household working the bakery. The quantity of grain and bread they produce right here each week by hand is staggering. Fortunately, we had the possibility to take a brief class and use their dough to make focaccia, which we’d eat simply a short time after.

It’s exhausting to seize how fantastic this expertise was. Not solely was Giuseppe a unbelievable host and instructor, however the baker who demonstrated shaping strategies clearly had formed tens of 1000’s, if no more, loaves of bread. His fingers belied his humble demeanor, which labored virtually routinely with a quiet confidence that solely develops after a few years of labor.

Consuming the focaccia right here, made with 100% durum and topped merely with olive oil, tomatoes, and black olives, introduced me again to my childhood after we’d seize these day by day en path to the seaside or hanging round city. A easy and staple meals, actually, however this focaccia in southern Italy is in contrast to wherever else. The flavour of the nutty durum grain, the fruity and liberally-used olive oil, the salty kick, the heady fermentation, and the toppings… For me, all of them outline the golden normal for focaccia.

After consuming this spectacular bread, just a little panettone, and a few candy pastry, we’d head up into the mountains to the Mercandante Forest for cheese, and just a little present.

A Number of Cheeses at Child Dicecca

Nestled within the distant mountains of the realm, Child Dicecca is doing a little distinctive work with cheese produced within the space (by the proprietor’s household, really). This go to was an important instance of a reoccurring theme we’d run into on this journey: the stress in Italy between adherence to custom and historical past and the need to innovate and break new culinary floor. To do one thing just a little totally different with these nice time-honored merchandise.

For instance, you may high a whole wheel of blue cheese with candy cherries and slice it up like a cake (beneath, left).

Along with attempting all of the revolutionary cheeses Dicecca needed to provide, the homeowners additionally spoke about their reverence for the uncooked milk they obtain from the household enterprise to supply these new creations. They confirmed how they stretch mozzarella by hand and pair it and different cheeses with regionally made bread. It was a present of culinary delights that, fortunately, we additionally obtained to eat.

After the cheese expertise, we had a free night in Bari to loosen up and recuperate (or, as Matt and I did, get gelato and one more pizza). The subsequent day, it might be all about taralli and cheese.

Day 4: Taralli and Extra Cheese in Bari, and a Stroll Via Alberobello

Within the morning, we visited an area taralli maker to see how they’re made, then tried to maintain up with the women shaping, who moved so quick it was exhausting to seize them on digital camera.

Taralli Making Workshop at Il Tarallo di Palo

Taralli are small, twisted crackers indicative of southern Italy. The bottom is flour, salt, water, and olive oil, however from there, the inclusions can get fairly wild: black pepper, white wine, sundried tomatoes, olives, paprika, and way more. The cracker’s form can vary from a easy ring to an elaborate knot; conceivably, the totally different shapes impart totally different consuming experiences and are for various use circumstances (I’m a easy man, give me the common-or-garden ring, and I’m comfortable).

They’re a typical snack you’ll discover everytime you go to somebody’s home, sit at a desk, or ask your good friend to convey one thing to tide you over on a prepare journey. They’re ubiquitous, addictive, and attractive.

We spent a superb hour there asking questions, shaping our personal taralli, tasting samples, having an espresso, joking with the employees, and consuming extra samples.

A Go to to Masseria la Lunghiera, The place Cows Are Kings

Subsequent, we have been on a bus and off to a dairy farm-cum-masseria. This farm is a primary instance of how treating animals nicely can produce award-winning and downright delectable meals. It’s a reminder that our meals comes from someplace, and if that someplace is handled nicely, raised nicely, and in the end revered, it solely advantages us all.

After a stupendous demo of how their uncooked milk is remodeled into mozzarella, burrata, treccia, and caciocavallo, we walked over to the historic stone constructing for lunch.

This meal was a spotlight as a result of the cheese was simply that good. The contemporary mozzarella was milky, just a little candy, buttery, and even with grassy undertones. However the true winner for me was the contemporary ricotta (beneath, left, underneath the jam). It’s exhausting even to totally seize the flavour and texture in phrases, solely that I wished a bucket of that to go, please.

After lunch, we bused out to go to Alberobello, a spot I’ve typically visited when visiting household. It’s a small city well-known for the big variety of Trulli (round buildings with conical roofs fabricated from limestone, often with a white ball on high). It’s a bit touristy right here, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a powerful sight, and the meals within the close by city is fairly nice, too.

After one other busy day, it was a free evening to loosen up in Bari. Just a few of us went out to have drinks (a negroni, when you’re curious), then again to the lodge to relaxation for one more busy day tomorrow.

Day 5: Antic Bari and Orecchiette

After a strong 4 days of touring, consuming, and extra consuming, day 5 was just a little extra laid-back—and we would have liked a little bit of a relaxation.

We casually explored Bari within the morning with an area tour information who gave us the traditional metropolis’s historical past as we visited cathedrals, piazzas, and native craft outlets. Like Ostuni, Bari is an historic metropolis with an fascinating historical past intertwined with the Byzantines, Normans, and Turks.

After our tour, lunch was scrumptious orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe, baked white fish, and sporcamusi, a puff pastry crammed with crema pasticcera (just like the one I exploit in bomboloni), for dessert.

Within the afternoon, we have been off on a scenic three-hour bus journey to Naples. Upon arrival, we checked into our unbelievable lodge, San Francesco al Monte, an age-old monastery nestled on the facet of a cliff overlooking town and the ocean. It couldn’t have been extra picturesque.

Dinner was conveniently on the lodge and consisted of linguetta pasta with mussels and a potato sauce whipped with provolone. From there, roasted pork and leeks to a scrumptious puff pastry with limoncello cream and candied citrus.

The next day, we’d get up and discover the hustle and bustle of Naples correct.

Day 6: Espresso, Sfogliatelle, and a Pizza Crawl in Naples

Naples typically will get a nasty rap for crime, however isn’t that true of nearly each huge metropolis, anyway? Whereas town is extremely hectic and bustling, the super power and dynamism are infectious. At any second, you’re standing on a low avenue with immense hills to the left and proper, forming an enormous “V” to both facet (suppose Inception-like avenue folding), as scooters and bicycles whiz previous, an airplane flies overhead, and a distant TV blares the present soccer sport.

Oh, and simply to clear it up, we had zero issues with crime, although all the things my dad all the time stated about Naples as a child was true: It’s a metropolis in contrast to another.

What I really like about densely populated cities like that is the move that emerges from the chaos. The vehicles, scooters, bikes, heck, even the individuals, transfer collectively like a single big organism, conscious of each different half. As Angela stated, accidents not often happen in Naples regardless of the sheer variety of vehicles and winding streets. Solely when a non-local comes and doesn’t flow does one thing occur. I may see it. I may really feel it.

Our first occasion in Naples was a wonderful metropolis tour with an area Italian information. The information targeted on town’s extraordinarily lengthy historical past and culinary evolution.

On the finish of the strolling tour, it was time for a espresso break.

Espresso in Naples

I’m going to get this out of the way in which: I really feel like most Italian espresso is fairly horrible. Darkish, viscous, and bitter like a evenly strained battery acid. Once you recalibrate your palate towards contemporary, evenly roasted espresso and start to dive into all of the flavors found therein, it’s exhausting to return to what my Italian uncle used to say: If it’s not bitter, it’s not good.

When touring in Italy, the answer lies in a little bit of trickery: working in just a little milk with that proudly pulled afternoon Italian espresso. Nonetheless, milk + espresso after breakfast is usually frowned upon, however there’s a secret. Do as I do and order a macchiato. An espresso with a splash (or “mark”) of milk, which fits down just a little smoother, leaving your delicate (refined?) American palate largely intact.

After a fast espresso and pastry break at Cafe Gambrinus, it was time to make some pasta!

Gnocchi and Ravioli Pasta Workshop

The afternoon was crammed (pun meant) with a pasta workshop at Toffini, and boy, was this enjoyable. The teacher-led class had us roll out freshly blended dough, fill it with cheese and herbs, after which lower out every particular person ravioli. After that, gnocchi have been blended, rolled, and lower.

On the very finish, we cooked our handmade pasta and sauteed it with tomatoes, olive oil, and extra herbs. It was a easy lunch however a satisfying one.

Subsequent, we would have liked dessert.

The Heavenly Sfogliatelle of Naples

I had among the best pastries of my life right here in Naples at our cease at Forno Carraturo. As a non-public group, we had entry and a tour by means of the upstairs kitchen the place the Italian bakers demoed and tried to elucidate the butter, flour, and fruit magic they conjured there day after day for over two centuries (!).

The placement, the bakers, and the aroma of freshly baked pastry all made the ultimate tasting of the sfogliatelle a revelatory expertise. I can nonetheless recall the unimaginable variety of flakey layers crunching with every chunk, the nice and cozy, candy ricotta and candied citrus enjoying completely off one another to provide a sweet-then-savory one-two that made the entire expertise not in contrast to after I first tasted a loaf of really good sourdough bread.

The issue with visiting locations like that is that after the euphoria wears off, you understand you simply can’t have this wherever else. The repair is straightforward, although: return inside and order one other one.

After a fast switch again to the lodge, we had a couple of hours to relaxation in prep for a busy night to come back.

A Pizza Crawl Via Naples

There are so, so could pizza spots in Naples it’s unimaginable to do all of them in a couple of days, let alongside a month (or extra). We determined it is perhaps enjoyable to have an quaint pizza crawl one evening, hopping from pizza spot to pizza spot, attempting a small pattern of the sheer number of what they name “pizza” in naples.

We enlisted an area information, a PhD researcher in Italian tradition, and an individual who may be very captivated with meals and the meals historical past of Naples to take us to 3 very totally different spots in downtown Naples. The crawl was a contact wild as we weaved by means of visitors, the sheer variety of individuals, and the density of all of it. It pushed the group a bit, in a great way. We have been out to expertise genuine Naples at evening, all the hustle and bustle that’s the metropolis.

We had three distinctive takes on the common meals:

1. A basic Neapolitan pizza margherita—pizza with a gentle crust, mozzarella cheese, tomato sauce, and basil
2. Pizza fritta—fried pizza crammed with sausage, cheese, and extra
3. Pagnottiello—a really native, distinctive fashion of pizza that’s basically a spherical bun crammed with meat, cheese, and a hard-boiled egg

Every was scrumptious in its personal manner, although if I’m sincere, and I feel lots of the company would agree, we’d have a few of the (if not the) greatest pizza the following evening…

Day 7: Cheese within the Nation and Pizza, Pizza, Pizza at Pepe in Grani

It was basically our final day touring collectively in Italy, however regardless of all of the enchanted culinary adventures so far, it might be a whopper.

We woke and had breakfast, a couple of cappuccini, and loaded the bus to move out of busy Naples to the serene mountains within the countryside.

Cheese at Agriturismo Le Campestre

Our cease was an agriturismo (a spot that mashes up agriculture and turism, plus just a little meals) specializing in a really particular native cheese that’s equipped to the restaurant Pepe in Grani, the place we’d have dinner that evening. The aged cheese is named conciato Romano, and it’s pungent and spicy, with an earthy kick, tasting much like pecorino Romano (simply don’t inform them that).

It was inspiring to see the gorgeous hills, wild donkeys working round, homes nestled in dense overgrowth, small plots of grapes, fruit timber, and extra. They’re making cheese out right here the previous manner, with out refined machines and metal vats, however quite in terracotta pots and handmade crates. Once more, inconvenient meals makes for scrumptious meals.

We sampled the cheese, together with native candied pears (so, so good) and a bit to drink. Amidst the gorgeous surroundings, a gaggle of keen foodies, and a backdrop of Italian being spoken between the nonna and grandson working there, it was completely charming in each manner.

After shopping for some cheese to take residence, we went to Pepe in Grani for pizza.

The Ultimate Farewell Dinner at Pepe in Grani

I need to admit, my favourite fashion of pizza is a toss-up between the New York fashion and thinner, crispier varieties. However this was my first time consuming correct pizza in Naples, and this is arguably among the best pizzerias on this planet. I used to be able to be impressed.

We have been fortunate that evening. Franco Pepe, the proprietor, was there, and we had the privilege of assembly him, speaking about how he began the restaurant, sourcing elements from native farmers, and ending all of it off with a guided tour by means of the kitchens and extra. What a number, what a showman.

After we sat and because the waves of pizza (I feel 5 in all?) began, from the very first chunk of a light-weight fried pizza with tomato and anchovies on high, I knew we have been in for a deal with. Marta, our information, put it greatest after we tried the primary few slices: this pizza made our style buds dance.

Every pizza had the proper mixture of elements. The toppings have been world-class, to make certain, with a stability of acidity, saltiness, unctuousness, and sweetness. The crust’s texture was gentle and pillowy, with a little bit of toothsomeness and faintly crispy, and it had a really delicate, clear taste profile.

There’s loads written about this pizzeria, and typically it’s exhausting to imagine hyperbolic claims, however I’ve to say, this was actually a few of the greatest pizza I’ve ever tasted.

It was additionally the proper ending to an already unbelievable journey. The camaraderie shared on the closing meal between us all was only a reflection of how shortly you may turn out to be associates with these you journey with.

What’s Subsequent?

Thanks to Matt, TASTE, ATA, and Penguin Random Home for making this journey occur. However much more, thanks to all of the company who joined me on this journey. I can confidently say that we departed as shut associates, full from all the nice meals and shared experiences.

I can’t watch for the following one—and there can be a subsequent one!

Need to be a part of me on our journey subsequent 12 months? The Baker’s Nook group members get first dibs at reserving, however both manner, maintain an eye fixed out on the e-newsletter for the following announcement.

A presto!