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  • About me
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  • Travel to Italy
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Travel to Italy

Strolling around Puglia white streets, explore wine, olive oil and cheese producers, taste the authentic rural cuisine in typical restaurants, meet the locals, smell Southern Italian atmosphere, swim in one of the most beautiful seas in the world and – why not – enjoy the siesta.
Travel Puglia with me, write me here

Previous trips

2019
September 30th, October 4th, Puglia Reloaded

2018
April 15th-19th Puglia Food Immersion

2017
April 20th-24th, with me and Sanna Töringe

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spaghettiabc

Flavia Giordano
☕️ 5 summer coffee you should try when in Ital ☕️ 5 summer coffee you should try when in Italy.🇮🇹 Drinking espresso, feeling the warm chill of caffeine, is always a pleasure, and, when it is summer, ordering coffee at bar, can be quite an experience. That’s why you shouldn’t miss these 5 gems: 1) CAFFE’ IN GHIACCIO (iced coffee): hot espresso served in a rock glass with 2 cubes of ice. If you are in Salento (Puglia), add a splash of almond syrup (or orzata) to have the CAFFE’ SALENTINO. 2) CREMA DI CAFFE’ (cold coffe cream): fresh cream (or milk), sugar and cold espresso, whipped until having a cream to eat with a spoon in a small coffee cup. 3) GRANITA DI CAFFE’ (coffe slush): a thick drink made from crushed ice and sweet cold coffee. The best way to eat it? With whipped cream, or, like in Sicily, in a soft sweet bun (brioche con il tuppo). 4) ESPRESSINO (or MAROCCHINO or VETRINO): a shot of cappuccino, served in a glass (generally the one for Irish coffee). The foam is thick and sprinkled with bitter cocoa powder. 5) CAFFE’ SPECIALE di Polignano (Polignano special coffee): coffee, fresh cream, Amaretto di Saronno liquor, lemon zest. The pairing of all these flavours it is simply a stroke of a genius by Supermago del Gelo bar in Polignano a mare, a town not far from Bari. Ph credits: @ilsupermagodelgelobargelateria Which among these 5 is your favorite? . #caffe #caffèsalentino #espressino #marocchino #caffespeciale #granitadicaffe #coffeelover #summercoffee #icedcoffee #cofeeslush #caffèitaliano #espresso #italiaintavola #italianfood #italiancuisine #barista #tasteatlas
Panzanella (my way). What do you do in summer in I Panzanella (my way). What do you do in summer in Italy when you have some stale bread left over? Panzanella, of course! The Tuscan recipe calls for soaking bread without salt (pane sciocco) in water and vinegar, wringing it out and then seasoning it with summer vegetables: tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, basil. The secret of this recipe? The longer it rests in the refrigerator, the better it tastes, because then the ingredients, their liquids, blend with each other to give us a fresh alchemy of flavors. In Puglia, the same dish (with some slight variations), is called acquasale (a name that evokes the saline water of our coastline). The difference with the Tuscan recipe? Pugliese bread is salty and, usually, basil is replaced by oregano, while vinegar is absent. My recipe is somewhere in between: Tuscan base, with Puglia ingredients, including Acquaviva PDO onion and melon pretending to be ... cucumber (barattiere)! INGREDIENTS FOR 6 PEOPLE 500 g of stale bread 1 lemon (or 2 spoons of white vinegar) 20 small tomatoes 3 cucumbers 1 red onion Salt Extravirgin olive oil Fresh basil leaves Let me know if you like this recipe as much as I do. Baci, Flavia . #panzanella #summerdish #summersalad #tomato #cucumber #recipe #italiancuisine #tuscany #italianfood #basil
How to correct the taste of a dish that is too bit How to correct the taste of a dish that is too bitter? In Italian cuisine, there are ingredients that are naturally bitter: chicory, radicchio, rucola, some types of eggplant or zucchini (especially if they are no longer very fresh). It often happens that we notice their bitter taste too late, only after we have cooked them. Rather than throwing everything out, there are small adjustments we can make to balance the flavor of the dish and make it more palatable. For example: - add salt, naturally adjust the bitterness - add acidity (lemon juice, vinegar, balsamic vinegar) - pair the dish with a sweet or neutral-tasting food, such as pasta, bread, rice or pulses. Did you know that temperature can also affect flavor? The same dish, if served cold, will be less bitter than if served hot. I hope my advice was helpful to you. If yes, leave me a comment and tell me what you think. It means a lot to me ❤️ Baci, Flavia . #bitter #bittertaste #chicory #radicchio #senses #italiancuisine #foodpairing #puglia #malmo
Sicilian-style fish couscous 🦑 The Arab dominat Sicilian-style fish couscous 🦑 The Arab dominations, the continuous trade between Italy and North Africa, left an important trace in Italian cuisine. In Sicily, and particularly in the province of Trapani, cous cous is one of the traditional dishes, where the local raw material (the fresh catch), is combined with the durum wheat semolina grains of cous cous, to create a fresh and vibrant dish, which changes with the change of the fish we will use in the preparation. It is no coincidence that San Vito Lo capo is home to Cous Cous Fest, an event that celebrates cultural integration and cuisine as a symbol of peace. I propose my version of fish cous cous, to be eaten cold, as a summer dish. I used anchovies and squid but you can substitute them with whatever local fish available (try fresh herrings!) you prefer. INGREDIENTS FOR 6 PEOPLE 280 g of cous cous 1 large eggplant 2 squids 15 cherry tomatoes fresh basil fresh mint 2 lemons extra virgin olive oil pepper spice mix for cous cous (or curry, paprika and chili) salt Let me know if you like this recipe and you will try! Baci, Flavia . #couscous #sicilianfood #italiancuisine #italienskmat #anchovies #squid #sicily #trapani #sanvitolocapo
Things I bought in Bari for 10 €. Dedicated to t Things I bought in Bari for 10 €. Dedicated to those who visit Puglia during the summer season and want to learn more about its typical products and biodiversity. Yesterday I went to my trusted greengrocer (fruttivendolo) and bought fruits and vegetables that can't miss in my fridge in July. I chose: - a large globular eggplant, for parmigiana, caponata, pasta alla norma, or to roast; - a bunch of chicory, to blanch or sauté in a pan with garlic, oil, and chili; - 6 “fioroni” (early figs). In Puglia, many fig trees produce fruits 2 times. The former are called “fioroni”, have a delicate, grassy flavour and ripen in early summer. Figs, on the other hand, have a more intense, sugary flavour and ripen in August. I eat them for breakfast or they are perfect with a slice of prosciutto di Parma as aperitivo; - 4 “barattieri”. In Puglia we use them as cucumbers, in salads, in pinzimonio, but, they are actually unripe melons. In Salento they are called cucumarazzi or meluncelle. - 1/2 kg of “ferrovia” cherries from Turi (a village close to Bari): they are called “railway cherries” because it was said that the trees grew best along railroad tracks. They stay nice and crisp for several days after harvest. - cornetto (or friggitelli) peppers: elongated in shape, resembling a horn. Green and sweet, for roasting or sautéing. The perfect pairing? With tomatoes and basil. Buying local and seasonal is always a reward: good for us, good for the planet :) And you, what fruits and vegetables do you buy in the summer? . #puglia #weareinpuglia #fioroni #barattiere #italiancuisine #cherries #seasonalfood #slowfood
48 hours in Venosta Valley (South Tyrol): a culina 48 hours in Venosta Valley (South Tyrol): a culinary getaway. Every summer, we travel by car from Malmo to Bari and it is always an opportunity for us to discover new places, on the road. For the second time, we stopped in South Tyrol, between the Venosta Valley and the Stelvio Pass. First stop, Lake Resia and the 14th-century bell tower rising from the waters. From here we went exploring Glorenza, one of Italy's smallest villages, with Renaissance walls where bold vines climb. Gourmet break at @flurins.turm and his fusion cuisine, which mixes hyper-local products with techniques from international cuisine. Glorenza is the home of @punidistillery, Italy's only whiskey distillery, an architectural gem by Werner Tscholl, built of red brick, reminiscent of the ancient ventilation systems of Val Venosta farms. Our home-base for 2 days was the @bellavista.trafoi, owned by the family of Gustav Thöni, the multiple-time world champion alpine skier: here Petra Thöni welcomed us in her traditional floral dress in this large wooden house, filled with memorabilia from the 1970s (skis, boots, medals), at the foot of the Trafoi glacier. The next day we climbed to the Benedictine abbey of Marienberg, above Burgusio, where at an altitude of 1,340 m lies Europe's highest (biodynamic) vineyard, cultivated by the Calvenschlössl winery. Second winery, Magdalena Schuster's @befehlhof, which has recovered an ancient native grape variety, Fraueler, processing it in purity for organic wines of the highest quality. Loving foraging, a walk in the Stelvio Pass, in search of wild herbs and fruits, was not missed. I have collected in the highlighted stories our itinerary, along with the one we took in 2020, in Val Pusteria, Brunico and, further south, along the Bolzano wine route. If you would like to continue talking about this trip, write to me in the comments or DM. I'll be waiting for you :) . #valvenosta #sudtirol #bolzano #foodtour #spaghettiabc #italy #traveltoitaly
Aperitivo or dessert: when to serve cheese? A few Aperitivo or dessert: when to serve cheese? A few days ago, a dear client of mine asked me for help as a personal shopper in selecting different cheeses to serve at an event she was organizing. In order to help her, I asked her - in addition to her cheese preferences - about the menu and the wines she would be serving. This is because cheese has to be included at the right time, in consideration of what comes before and after. And then, of course, you have to consider the type of cheese. In this post I want to share with you my golden rules that I apply when serving Italian cheeses. Fresh cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata, robiola, scamorza, ricotta, fresh goat cheese, 12-month Parmigiano Reggiano, I prefer to serve them at the beginning of the meal, when the palate is free of other flavors. I am going to pair them with vegetables (raw or cooked) and with white wines, sparkling wines, or not too structured reds. I do not serve jams in pairing: I don't want to immediately saturate the palate with too many flavours. Matured cheeses with more complex flavors, on the other hand, I prefer to serve them at the end, before or instead of dessert. I am talking, for example, about blue cheese, taleggio, Parmigiano with more than 48 months of seasoning, aged pecorino (or pecorino di grotta), to which I can pair jams (or honey). Indeed, at the end of a meal, my palate has gradually become accustomed to stronger flavors, so it can be receptive to these cheeses with a distinct personality. The wines to pair with them will be full-bodied and structured (I am thinking of barrique reds or even wines with aromatic components, such as passito or malvasia), although I do not disdain bubbles that go to "cleanse the palate" from the cheese's fat. What is your favorite cheese and how do you serve it? NB: I talked about wines in this post, but I encourage to explore the paring of cheese with artisanal beers and ciders too. Photo: Miriam Preis . #cheeselover #cheesetasting #taleggio #italiancheese #parmigiano #spaghettiabc
AROMATIC HERBS PESTO 🪴: an empty-the-balcony re AROMATIC HERBS PESTO 🪴: an empty-the-balcony recipe to prepare before to leave for summer vacation. Summer is here. And while some are organising the menu for Midsommar, others are packing for summer holidays. So what to do with the pots of basil, mint, parsley on the balcony (or in the kitchen)? If we don't cook with them, we certainly won't find them when we will be back… Pesto is the solution! Here's how to prepare it. Ingredients for two: 40 g herbs (basil, mint, parsley) 1 clove of garlic 5 g almonds 5 g pistachios 30 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano 160 g of paccheri (or other pasta shape) Oil Salt Pepper Put all the ingredients in a long, narrow container. Blend gently with an immersion blender. Cook the pasta until al dente. Stir it into a bowl with the pesto. Serve with a sprinkling of Parmigiano and a few herb leaves. Enjoy! . #pesto #pasta #pastalover #pastapesto #paccheri #basil #mint #italiancuisine #italienskmat #cucinaitaliana #pestogenovese #midsommar #parmigianoreggiano
Pulses and vegetables: 3 easy and quick recipes to Pulses and vegetables: 3 easy and quick recipes to celebrate summer. Is there a better time than summer to prepare vegetables? Hard to resist the temptation of crispy asparagus, turgid spring onions, fresh and tender spinach... But what about pulses and legume? They kept us company during the winter, in soups and minestrone, how to use them in summer? And, still on the subject of legume/pulses, I also thought that during this time of year we have fresh peas and fresh broad beans available. If you think about it, more than 50% of what constitutes fava beans and peas, namely the pods, are not normally used in cooking. We use the pulses (the inner side) but not the pods, which, yet, are rich in fiber and minerals. How can we enhance them in cooking? And there is no summer without rhubarb, with its pink and green spotted stem and its unmistakable sour flavor. We use it in desserts, but does it look good in savory preparations? My personal answer to these 3 questions can be found in my latest post (link in bio 👆), with 3 recipes for you: 1) RED LENTILS, SPINACH AND TOMATO SALAD 2) SAUTÉED FAVA BEANS (POD TO PULSE), GREEN PEAS, SPRING ONIONS 3) ROASTED ASPARAGUS AND SPINACH SALAD WITH RHUBARB MAYO How do you cook pulses/legume and vegetables in summer? . #pulses #legume #redlentils #favabeans #asparagus #rhubarb #summersalad #summerrecipes #seasonalfood #spaghettiabc
If you think about it, pasta is a design object. M If you think about it, pasta is a design object. Made to capture the sauce with which it is seasoned on its surface. Giorgietto Giugiaro, probably the most important Italian car designer (Alfa Romeo, Audi, Fiat), was well aware of it, when in 1983 created a pasta shape for Voiello, the pasta brand. Digestibility, ergonomics, cooking times and matching with sauces: what is pasta if not culinary engineering? And it is no coincidence that, during my cooking classes, one of the most discussed topic is indeed the right paring of different pasta shapes with different sauces. A few post ago (scroll down in my feed), I introduced you the long and skinny shapes (the family of spaghetti), while in this one I will explore the world of ribbon-cut pasta shapes: what they are, how they differ from each other and with which ingredients they match at the best. This post is dedicated to linguine, tagliatelle, lasagne... and to you, for the next time you'll cook them. How do you usually pair the pasta of this family? Let's chat in the comment :) N.B. this is how I pair pasta, not the Bible. I strongly believe that the final decider is your own taste. So, if you like it, go for it! . #spaghetti #pastalover #lasagne #fettuccine #pappardelle #tagliatelle #linguine #thegeometryofpasta #giugiarodesign #italiancuisine #spaghettiabc #giorgettogiugaro #pasta #design #italienskmat
Ricotta salata: a cheese you should have in the fr Ricotta salata: a cheese you should have in the fridge during summer. 🧀 Even if we associate the idea of seasonality mostly with fruits and vegetables, there is a perfect time also for enjoying cheeses. So, if winter is the season for gorgonzola and taleggio, creamy and rich, summer is the best time to enjoy lighter cheese, like mozzarella or ricotta salata (salty ricotta). 🐑 Ricotta is not properly a cheese but mostly a dairy product, since it is obtained by recooking the whey (serum) resulting from the production of sheep, goat or cow cheeses. Ricotta in fact means re-cooked, cooked twice, referring to this particular process. A ricotta can be eaten fresh and soft, but it can be also seasoned for a minimum period of 40 days, up to 4-6 months. In this latter case, the ricotta is coated in coarse salt and let it drain for days/months: a ricotta salata (or marzolina) is born! 🍅 It has a semi-hard texture, very white, crumbly, that doesn't melt (instead of Parmigiano). You use the ricotta salata mostly over pasta and vegetables, grating it just before to serve the dish. The most famous way to have it is over "pasta alla Norma" (Sicilian aubergine pasta) and also "crudaiola", pasta salad with raw tomatoes (see next picture). It works very well also with asparagus, zucchini and pepper, in combination with fresh herbs like basil, mint or thyme. I suggest to grate it over a shredding holes instead of raspy ones since its crumbly structure. Have you ever tried it? Or are you in the mood to try it? Let's talk about ricotta salata (or summer cheese) in the comments . #ricotta #ricottasalata #ricottamarzotica #crudaiola #pastaallanorma #italienskmat #cheesetasting #cheeselover #italiancheese #italiancuisine
This post is for you who woke up with the desire f This post is for you who woke up with the desire for focaccia. It is a special and precious recipe, it is the recipe for the focaccia we eat in Bari: sweet like the wheat, sour-sweet like cherry tomatoes, oily and crunchy, with the unmistakable scent of Apulian olive oil. It is soft inside but has a brown, caramelized crust on the outside. But, above all, it is not dry. This is thanks to a special emulsion made of water and oil, which allows the focaccia to remain moist during the 45 minutes of cooking in the oven, at 250 degrees C. It is the focaccia that we eat at home and that was taught to me by @isognatoridicucinaenuvole who picked up @ornella_mirelli intuition. If today you want to put your hands in the dough, dirty them with flour and make your kitchen perfume with the aromas of freshly baked focaccia, click on the link in bio to find the recipe I just published. And, if you have any doubts during the preparation and cooking, if you need a guide, write me in the comments. I am here . #focaccia #focacciabarese #puglia #apulien #bari #weareinpuglia #cucinapugliese #italiancuisine #italiansouth #oregano #tomatoes #italienskmat #baking #veganfood #aperitivo #lördagmys
🤔 Which pasta to select for which dish? A few 🤔 Which pasta to select for which dish? A few days ago, I shared with you my golden rules for cooking pasta (scroll down if you missed it). And, when I asked which is the biggest struggle you face when preparing pasta, many of you confessed that it is a challenge to pick the right shape for the right sauce. 🤯 And I totally understand: according to the Treccani (the enciclopedia of Italian language), in Italy we have more than 600 pasta shapes! That's why I am here. To guide you in this pasta-universe, exploring the different pasta-families and suggesting the sauces or the ingredients that work better, in order to make your cooking experience a pleasure rather than a charade. 🍝 I've started with long pasta, a subject that I will develop in 2 episodes: long skinny pasta and flat ribbon cut pasta. This post is about the first group. You will find: spaghetti, spaghettini, vermicelli, bucatini and capelli d'angelo, some of the eminent members of this royal family. N.B. this is how I pair pasta, not the Bible. I strongly believe that the final decider is your own taste. So, if you like it, go for it! Which pasta shape do you want to find in the next episodes?
The second life of stale bread: 3 everyday recipes The second life of stale bread: 3 everyday recipes to elevate home made pangrattato (breadcrumbs). Bread is gold and in the Italian cuisine we use it a lot. It is a fundamental ingredient when it comes to make softer meat ball (or bread balls), to give a crunchy texture to pasta, to coat your cotoletta to be fried or your vegetables to be baked. I created a 3 courses menu to inspire you and to encourage you to use it as a staple ingredient your pantry: 1) Aubergine polpette with mint 2) Hot linguine with garlic and anchovies 3) Gratinated seasonal vegetables. All the recipes are in the link in bio 👆. How do you use breadcrumbs in your kitchen?
Traveling without moving: how to create a corner o Traveling without moving: how to create a corner of Italy in the heart of Malmo. A few days ago, Filip Åkerblom, a visionary, award-winning coffee roaster, called me to share a secret project he had been thinking about for a long time. He runs @lillakafferosteriet , a vibrant gourmet roastery with a cafe in Malmo city center. From breakfast to late fika, the doors of this old yellow stone building are open to satisfy your craving for good coffee. “I love this place - Filip said - , it has so much potential, and I think it is a shame to close at 6 pm. That’s why I want to invite people from the culinary scene of Malmo and host with them unique taste experiences”. Maybe because Filip loves Italy, the food, the coffee culture; maybe because he had such a good time when he traveled to Puglia a few years ago, following an itinerary I had the pleasure to design; so, long story short, Filip asked my help to bring Italian food at Lilla Kafferosteriet for one night. And there is no Italian food without good wine: we invited Rob Ureke, the talented wine importer behind @vinspektrum , to pair my pugliese food with his wines from Langhe (Piemonte), in a 4 course vegetarian menu, where the South meets the North. And we will not be alone: in the kitchen with us Bianca Ludusan Denvall from @reko.deli delikatessbutik and Vincenzo Pietrogiovanni @increasingentropy dj-ing with molto amore. Save the date, June 10th, 7 pm at Lilla Kafferosteriet in Malmo and book your seat in the link in bio 👆 . #malmo #italianfood #italienskmat #lillakafferosteriet #vinspektrum #puglia #cucinapugliese #italianfood #italianwine #spaghettiabc
⏰ How long does pasta take to cook? 🤔 One o ⏰ How long does pasta take to cook? 🤔 One of the most frequently asked question I get during my cooking classes is about how to cook pasta properly, and, in particular, how long it takes to be "al dente". In fact - even if on the pack of every pasta brand we find the recommended cooking time - the differences among raw, al dente and overcooked are just a matter of a few seconds. 👁 How do I do? I rely on my senses, on sight in particular, observing the color that the inner part of a maccherone has while cooking. In this carousel I've also collected some other golden rules to support you the next time you'll cook your favorite pasta dish: save it and look at it when you need a guide. 🍝 Which is your biggest struggle when it comes to cook pasta? Flavia - Spaghetti ABC
MARBLED PASTA DOUGH About mixing different colors MARBLED PASTA DOUGH About mixing different colors to create a vibrant, multicolor pasta. If you want to learn how to make it using natural and vegetable ingredients, join me at the next classes at @reko.deli in Lund or @adalagard in Billinge, next May. DM for more info or click on the link in bio 👆. Cc @malmofoodstories . #orecchiette #handmadepasta #coloredpasta #corzetti #durumwheat #pastalover #puglialovers #colorful #italienskmat #pastakurs #igersmalmoe #cavatelli #pastaitaliana #italiancuisine
That time of the year. 🌱 In Sweden we call it r That time of the year. 🌱 In Sweden we call it ramslök, in Italian “aglio ursino” or bear’s garlic. It grows at the beginning of the spring and its name, according to folk traditions, it’s related to the fact that the bears consuming them after awakening from hibernation. The best way to prepare it is as a pesto, with some grated cheese (Pecorino or Parmigiano), olive oil and nuts (almonds, pine nuts) or seeds (sunflower or pumpkin). This plant grows in the forests, in the shadows with a few light or by the streams. You recognize them by light, herbal and delicate scent of garlic . #ramslök #wildgarlic #aglioursino #aglioorsino #pesto #foraging #spring #naturalfood #herbs #primavera #forest #wildfood
Cherry blossom pasta 🌸 Bringing spring on a tab Cherry blossom pasta 🌸 Bringing spring on a table. I created this dish as an inspiration for your Easter table, a vegetarian, colourful pasta idea, with the perfect combo: ricotta/parsley/Parmigiano/Pecorino, sauté with butter and lemon juice . It is going to take just a few minutes than making a normal ravioli but... why don't you prepare them with a friend or with your family? Cooking together is quality time and much more fun! Find the recipe in the link in bio 👆 . #ravioli #handmadepasta #laminatedpasta #pastalover #eastermenu #ricotta #pasta #freshpasta #beetroot #italienskmat #easter #pastafresca #durumwheat #pastaia
Creativity is a muscle: you have to train it. How Creativity is a muscle: you have to train it. How? Exploring new areas, learning new things, playing with new techniques and materials. And even tortellini can fly, from pasta board to a napkin. This is the outcome of the block printing classes I took with @dyelabmalmo and @slojdpraktikan . #tortellino #tortellini #blockprinting #diy #textiles #lasercut #napkins
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