Learn to cook Puglian food

If you are interested in learning to cook some of the local dishes while you’re staying in Ostuni, we can arrange for someone to come along to your apartment and give you a lesson.

Annalisa Cito, a local woman in her 20s who speaks English, is always happy to offer this service. If she is not available, her aunt, who also speaks English and – according to Annalisa – is an even better cook, will give you a lesson.

You can choose to learn to cook any local dish you have sampled in a restaurant or heard about and the cook will bring along the ingredients and show you how to prepare them. These lessons would normally start in the early evening, say about 5pm, and would end with the dinner though some guests have preferred to start cooking at 10am and prepare lunch. If you would like wine you would need to supply this yourselves. If you would like to invite the cook to join you for the meal you can do so, but she will not be offended if you do not wish to.

The average price per head is about 30E (15E for children) for a 3 course meal including the tuition, but obviously this depends on the dishes you choose (fish is surprisingly expensive though mussels are very cheap as they come from nearby Taranto).

If you are interested, please let us know, ideally as far in advance as possible, but if you decide on a whim, give us a call or text us on our mobiles 07939 544 487 or 07801 596 558 and we should be able to get hold of Annalisa. Alternatively you can phone or email Annalisa yourself. Her phone number is 0039 0831 33 27 69 (home) or 0039 339 866 9966 (mobile) and her email address is annalisa.cito@yahoo.it. However she doesn’t always check her emails so you may need to follow up with a call.

A typical menu

ANTIPASTI:

MELANZANE O PEPERONI GRATINATI (aubergines or peppers au gratin)
PEPERONI RIPIENI (stuffed peppers)
MINESTRA PRIMAVERA CON FAVE FRESCHE E CARCIOFI (spring soup withfresh broad beans and artichokes)

PRIMI PIATTI:

CAVATELLI CON FAGIOLI E COZZE (pasta with beans e mussels)
ORECCHIETTE CON INVOLTINI DI CARNE (pasta with stuffed roll of meat)
RISO,PATATE E COZZE (rice with potatoes and mussels)
RISO,PAPATE E CARCIOFI (rice with potatoes and artichokes)
PURE' DI FAVE (broad beans puree)
RISOTTO CON FUNGHI E SPECK (risotto with mushrooms and smoked ham)

SECONDI PIATTI:

ACCIUGHE IMPANATE (breaded anchovies)
COZZE GRATINATE (mussels au gratin)
INVOLTINI DI CARNE (stuffed rolls of meat with tomato sauce)
COTOLETTE IMPANATE (breaded cutlet)
SEPPIE RIPIENE (stuffed cuttlefishes)
DESSERT:

TORTA MIMOSA
CREMA AL LIMONE CON FRUTTA FRESCA (lemon cream with fresh fruit)
CROSTATA DI FRUTTA (fruit and cream tart)

Journalist Graham is a well-known after-dinner speaker (www.kealmedia.com) but there’ll be no speeches after this meal!