What we here at Untravelled Paths miss the most is travelling… and I’m sure we’re not the only ones. The mornings are filled with frantically searching the news for any updates regarding vaccines and countries openings. Then, the lunch breaks bring longing as we scroll through Insta-perfect beaches and remote mountains. The evenings end with nostalgia as we flick through old travel memories.

But there is a way to make the wait for 2021 travel sweeter. If love really goes through the stomach, we’ll be keeping that flame alive and bringing the flavour into our own homes. And we know… while lockdown has turned many people into chefs and bakers, not all of us found their culinary prowess during these months (yours truly included). But the recipe we’re about to show you requires very little skill and is as delicious as they come. Giving cooking another whirl doesn’t sound too bad now, does it?

A Southern Italian treat

For today’s inspiration, we are looking into the cucina povera, a prevalent form of cooking in the heel of Italy. With few resources and a lack of rain, cooking in Puglia relies on the little that’s available. The recipes only use a few ingredients, and are insanely easy to prepare. The bonus? They are simply delicious.

We have learned the recipe we are doing today in the Southern Italy Cookery masterclass on our Dolce Vita Experience. This will give you but a taste into the wonderful world of Pugliese food which you can discover on our experience. Ready? Here’s…

Polpette di pane

Just as any other Pugliese recipe, the ingredients for Polpette di pane can be found around your pantry. This is the perfect choice for a quick nibble, practicing your cooking skills, or a slightly different appetizer to your dinner.

Ingredients

4-5 slices of bread, preferably stale
2 eggs
80 g of Parmesan cheese, grated
Parsley
Salt
Olive Oil
Tomato sauce
Basil

Preparation

1. Break the bread into smaller bits and let them soak in warm water for a couple of minutes.
2. Once the bread is all softened, take it out, squeezing it out to remove the excess liquid. Place it in a bowl.
3. Add the eggs and mix them until they are incorporated.
4. Next, add the grated cheese and parsley to taste and knead them all together until you get a uniform mixture. You can add more parmesan cheese if you feel the texture is too soft. Add salt to taste.
5. You’ll next have to make the actual bread balls. Take a bit of the bread mix and shape it in your hand until it’s round and smooth.
6. Once the bread balls are all done, heat the olive oil in a pot and deep fry the bread balls for a couple of minutes, until they get a golden colour.
7. Sit them down on a plate with a paper napkin to remove the excess oil.
8. Lastly, serve with tomato sauce and fresh basil.
9. Buon Appetito!

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe and want to find out more about the Southern Italian cuisine, make sure to check out our Dolce Vita Experience.

Written by Oana Moldovan, Untravelled Paths