Tastes of Puglia - Spring Edition | Fri Apr 24

About this experience

TONIGHT'S CLASS 

If you know a little about Pugliese cooking, you know it’s as diverse as it is delicious - so for tonight’s class we tried to highlight a variety of cooking styles from different parts of the region.

On arrival you'll be greeted with a delicious street food snack from the city of Lecce, sometimes called the "Florence of the south" because of its stunning baroque architecture. Rustici leccesi are warm little pockets of puff pastry stuffed with tomato and stretchy mozzarella, Italian comfort food at its best! 

Then it's time to roll up our sleeves and make homemade pasta! Our first course this evening is a unique regional dish called Ciceri e tria ("chickpeas and pasta" in Salentino dialect), famous for it's "double consistiency" - homestyle pasta in legumes and broth, with a deep fried crunchy topping.

Tonight's main course is a quintessential Southern Italian main course: brasciole, barese dialect for meat rolls cooked in tomato sauce. You'll find versions of this dish made with pork, veal, rabbit, even horse (!) - but tonight we're going making the classic beef rolls stuffed with a little garlic, parsley and pancetta. Basta così! 

To accompany our brasciole we'll prepare a nice tiella (hearty side dished of potato and artichoke cooked in a terracotta pan) and of course, some bitter greens, simple aglio e olio sauteed chickory.  

Last but not least, dessert: a classic nonna-style cake made without wheat flour, just some ground almond, lemon and a bit of sweetening: torta di mandorle al limone. 

When we're done cooking, you'll be seated with fellow guests at a harvest table to enjoy the meal we've prepared together, served by our staff.

 

MENU 

Rustici leccesi - Mini puff pastries from the city of Lecce, stuffed with mozzarella and tomato 

Ciceri e tria - A unique take on pasta with chickpeas from the city of Salento. The homemade pasta is divided in two: half is gently cooked in a tomato-chickpea broth, the other half is fried and served as a crunchy topping.  

Pane rustico - Some nice crusty bread to clean your plate 

Brasciole di manzo - Slow cooked beef rolls in sugo 

Tiella di patate e carciofi - Baked artichoke-potato, au gratin  

Cicoria ripassata - Sauteed chicory with a touch of garlic and peperoncino 

Torta di mandorle al limone - Flourless almond and lemon cake 

 

A NOTE ABOUT PUGLIA

Known for its whitewashed Mediterranean coastline and picturesque hilltop towns, Puglia forms the heel of the Italian "boot." It’s the largest olive oil and wine producing region of the peninsula, and a major producer of important crops like tomatoes, durum wheat (semolina) and almonds.  

Puglia's winning combination of warm, sunny climate, great beaches, pretty towns and delicious food have made it one of the most popular Italian destinations in recent years. To beat the crowds and still enjoy great weather, Spring and Fall are great times of the year to visit! 

 

BEVERAGES 

A selection of wines, beers and soft drinks will be available for purchase at the event. Our wine list can be viewed here: https://cucinato.ca/collections/wines

We also offer corkage, the fee is $15 per bottle. 

 

TERMS & CONDITIONS 

• No refunds after purchase
• Exchanges (one per ticket) permitted up to 5 days prior to the event.
• Tickets to Cucinato events are transferable - you can give them to someone else if you can’t attend (but please notify Cucinato in advance!)
• We will do our best to accommodate dietary needs – please contact us before booking