Virgin Olive Oil – A First Time For Everything

They gathered together giggling like girls, four elderly ladies in traditional scarf and swooshy, full skirt. Brandishing a witches broom each, they demonstrated how they used to harvest olives in days gone buy. Gathering at the base of an olive tree, they swept across the surface of the earth, picking up the ripe fruit. They appeared to enjoy the attention and laughed.

We were visiting one of the many walled Masserias (co-operative farms) in the region, which were used as fortifications against the Turks and other invaders around the 1400’s. At around this time the Olive Crusher was developed too as serious oil production was established.  Every olive tree was planted one by one and mostly worked by women to collect enough olives to make one litre of oil per day by hand. And this is the way it was done right up until the 1950’s.

Focussing on high quality meant that the olives that had fallen to the ground (Marcire or rotten) were ignored and used for lamp oil instead (exported from nearby Gallipoli). In fact,there are many myths about what makes a top quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Some say it’s the oil from the first pressing. Well that’s nonsense! It’s simply that the very best fruit is selected and is never pressed from olives which have already fallen to the ground. This oil is known worldwide for it’s fruity taste and delicate aromas, which can be used in bakery. High in polyphenols and anti-oxidants, its molecular structure is very important. At over 160 degrees celcius, the character of the oil changes.

Masserias are at the heart of Salentino culture. It is possible to get a really good meal here as well as shelter. Many serve as B&B’s too. Narduccio, an old boy from the farm, explained the British helped to restore many Masserias, keeping in line with the tradition of the outer walls being slightly lower that the fully grown olive trees.

Harvesting – Two Methods.

There are two ways to get olives from the tree. The Machine Grabber seizes the tree by the trunk and shakes it firmly, allowing the fruit to fall. There’s a down side to this method: damaging the trunk. Alternatively a kind of long-reach strimmer is used, which is by far the gentler way.

In the background, I caught Will learning to turn on a Lamboughini tractor….Lamboughini TRACTOR???

Gary, a British neighbour and married to an Italian, was on hand to do some interpreting for us. Us Brits appreciated a frank account of his trial by fire when he first moved here and had to fit in with the culture. He was very knowledgeable about the olive oil process, explaining that waiting too long to press the fruit results in the acidity content increasing. Extra Virgin is less than 1% acidity by definition. As the olives turn from green to black on the tree, the taste of the oil becomes more peppery: Fruitato – not peppery, Piccante – peppery. This produces interesting varieties of oil. Some types of olive are more acidic naturally. Gary explained that more acidic content can be carcinogenic and it’s common to graft on different cultivars for differing needs, perhaps medicinal, perhaps culinary and as he did so, he stooped down to pick up some Wild Borage.

Instituto Antonacci – Sleeping Pretty in Lecce

I was knackered, having stayed up past 2am doing my post-processing. There was no urgency, except that I really wanted to see my shots.

My room had high ceilings and one window whose cil started about 8ft off the ground. Adorned with shutters, there was a contraption leaning up against the wall, in the corner, with which to close the said offender. To be honest, I couldn’t be assed with trying to close it. What it meant was that as soon as the sun was up, friendly, warm light spilled in….early.

I don’t know why, perhaps due to years working in dark studios, my eyes are hypersensitive to light. As soon as the sun is up, so am I. Being in Lecce , I was in a heightened state of excitement anyway. Up I got. Instituto Antonacci was quiet, nothing stirred, not even a mouse. Luckily my room was right next to the Braille library. I grabbed my tripod and tippee toed in, so as not to disturb. There was an extraordinary aroma of musty pages: shelves and shelves of braille books and some spread out on a table in the centre, a complete set of The Divine Comedy giggling in the corner, some of the students’ exercise books on display and a braille version of Walt Disney’s Bambi.

Again, through another window high up, shone the sun. I knew it was only a matter of time before students would arrive, so I trembled trying to get the shots done using l-o-o-o-n-g exposures.

There is more here than meets the eye. Yes, the rooms are lovely, clean, furnished simply. Yes, the staff are lovely and friendly but it’s not just a B & B. Walking down the echoey corridors, you come across strange artefacts….sewing machines….other paraphernalia. There is even a lecture theatre. There seem to be several ways to access the same place, like an Escher drawing, up and around, down and out. The floor is tiled throughout with terracotta and white. This is an art class in the rules of perspective.

Next to the lecture theatre are classrooms which welcome visually impaired students. Papier maché sculptures and willow baskets lie scattered about. Easels rest up against the wall like elderly people taking a rest on the way to the supermarket.

Down yet another corridor, I pass through door after door, into the derelict wing of the building. Again the same motif, stacks and stacks of braille books, abandoned. I wonder how anyone could just neglect them like this.

It’s silent. All I can hear is me tightening up my tripod and breathing.

Pasticcioto at Donno’s Bakery, Cutrofiano

I have to say at this point, after a considerable feast at Bakery Caroppo earlier today, I didn’t think I could fit another thing in!

It was exceptionally dark in Donno’s Pastry shop in Cutrofiano, lit with only a couple of very green strip lights,  stretching my Canon 5D Mark 2’s high iso capabilities to the full.

The space was set out more like a science lab than a kitchen, immaculately sterile. There was a talk given by a local dignatory who praised Roberto Donno for his unrelenting dedication and hard work promoting traditional foods of the region.

Donno describing making shortcrust pastry with olive oil

Making Pasticcioto lids

Sorin helps Donno

Donno went on to explain that because Salento is in the centre of the Mediterranean, many different cultures have played out through the food. Pasta Frolla (originally from 1700’s), used to make the crust was made with a kind of pork fat and this gave the pastry an original taste. Donno eloquently demonstrated making the pastry with both lard and olive oil. The olive oil version is the modern, healthy way and uses a food processor. He explained that heat from your hands makes the dough more elastic, which isn’t necessarily a good thing when making pastry.

Pasticcioto started life as a pie but back then only aristocratic families could afford desserts and sweet things. People started making a smaller version for consumption at breakfast time. In Italy, food has always been a reason to bring communities together. When people were in mourning, they would not leave the house for two weeks so would spend the time making pastries which would be offered in condolence : expressing sympathy through food and family.

Pasta Frolla – Donno’s method

400g suet (pork fat), 1 kilo plain flour, 500g caster sugar

20g bicarbonate of soda, 4 whole eggs

Preheat the oven to 250c˚ to aim for a temperature of 200. Baking time 20mins until golden.

Make a well with the flour and place the suet in the centre. Make another well in the suet and pour the sugar into it. Mix the sugar into the fat avoiding introducing the flour. Sprinkle the bicarb on top of the flour. Mix the 4 eggs in a bowl and pour onto the suet (pork fat), keeping the flour untouched. Using your hands, pull the flour into the centre, mixing with the eggs, fat and sugar. Don’t knead as too much body heat will affect the pastry. Your pastry will change colour depending on the eggs you use.

Once it’s all mixed you can freeze a large amount for use later or buy it ready-made in good supermarkets if you want to avoid the hassle! The pastry will last 10 days in the fridge though.

Cut the pastry into small pieces, dust with flour and use the palm of the hand or a rolling pin to flatten to around 5mm thick, making it as uniform and even as you can. Place the pastry into pasticcioto tins and push gently so that it reaches into the full depth of the tin. Fill the cases with pastry cream. (Donno didn’t show us how to make the cream but here’s a good version) and cover with a pastry lid. Brush with beaten egg to give a beautiful golden colour when baked. I wondered whether we could use English Custard as a replacement.

Place on a baking tray and take care not to let too much heat escape when placing in the oven for around 20 mins until golden.

Almond Dough (1700’s)

Benedictine monks brought this dough to the Salento region which produced and exported a huge amount of almonds at this time. Later, production moved to Bari. Bari almonds (higher in essential oils)  are smaller and less attractive to look at but are tastier than their Californian cousins which are more fibrous and woody.

Recipe

1/2 kilo ground almonds.

1/2 kilo caster sugar.

Whole eggs. ( Around 4-6 until mix is sticky.)

Flavourings: lemon or orange rind, vanilla pods – optional.

Preheat the oven to 170˚C – Baking time 25mins.

Method

Put the almonds in the freezer for around 30 minutes before you process.

Place the almonds in a processor and grind.

Add the sugar and any flavourings to taste.

Slowly add the eggs until the mix turns into a paste. It needs to be very sticky.

Using a piping bag, pipe peak-like shapes onto a baking tray. Topping with nuts or dried fruits will release delicious aromas.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes at 170˚C. Allow to cool.

Chocolatey and Delicious – CioccOliAmoci

Finally, Roberto showed us his conceived delicious chocolate sauce product called CioccOliAmoci. Drizzled over Pan D’oro, he passed a delight around to us all. This is a chocolate sauce made with olive oil, smooth and flavoursome. Can this be healthy you’re asking? Perhaps…. if it’s made with olive oil….