Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Giro 2023 Stage 4: Venosa to Lago Laceno

Where are we? In Basilicata, heading to Campagnia

Venosa: EBorghi tells me that prehistoric site, archaeological park, Jewish-Christian catacombs, historic houses, museums and churches: this is the vast and diverse plan of cultural offerings that the City makes available to tourists of visitors. A plunge into the past on the traces of a great cultural wealth, in the myth of the great poet Horace Flaccus, on the notes of the prince of musicians and madrigalist Carlo Gesualdo.

Regional Specialties: Venosa’s gastronomy has a history that comes from afar. …inde domum me ad porri et ciceris refero laganique catinum (I’m going home to my bowl of leeks, chickpeas and lagane) as Quintus Horatius Flaccus, also known as Horace, wrote in 35 B.C. (Satire 1.6).  With his love for humble and healthy food, he was the precursor of the Mediterranean diet.
Lagane and chickpeas: fresh durum wheat semolina pasta, similar to tagliatelle, but wider and shorter, cooked together with chickpeas, topped with crunchy crusco peppers. It is a first dish that can still be tasted in the city’s restaurants
Past’ e tar’ cucòzz: pasta with talli di zucca (a vegetable similar to broccoli) and peeled tomatoes.
Orecchiette all’oraziana: orecchiette pasta with sausage cooked in tomato sauce and served with mozzarella, cheese and, optionally, a pinch of chilli pepper.
Brodetto di agnello alla pastora: a timbale of lamb, eggs and cardoons, which can be eaten in every home in Venosa on Easter Monday.
Cod fish with crusco peppers: boiled cod fish with crusco peppers fried in EVO oil.
Typical Desserts
Pizzicanelli: these are rhombus-shaped biscuits made with cocoa, chocolate, almonds and cinnamon.
Raffaiul: made with egg yolks, sugar and then glazed. Until the 1970s, they were the typical desserts served during wedding banquets.
La past d la zeit: a fluffy mixture of eggs, flour, sugar and cream of tartar, filled of a special cream with a sweet vanilla flavour.
Cooked Grain of the Dead: dessert for 2nd November, Day of the Dead. Pearl wheat, pomegranate seeds, walnuts, cooked fig wine.
Cauzincidd’: puff pastry filled with chickpeas and chestnuts. This is a popular Christmas dessert.
Pettole: a mixture of flour and yeast fried in hot oil and then sweetened.

Lago Laceno: The Giro tells me that The town of Bagnoli Irpino is in a valley surrounded by mountains, some of which exceed 1700 meters of altitude, such as Mount Cervialto and Mount Raiamagra. It is a sunny location with not too rigid climate, quiet and popular tourist destination, well connected with the motorway network.

Regional Specialties:
Cheese: Sheep and cattle breeding is an important resource for Bagnoli Irpino. Moreover, the environmental context in which the animals live guarantee an excellent milk, therefore outstanding cheeses and a tasty meat. Among the cheeses we find excellent pecorino (also flavored with truffle), a fresh ricotta with a delicate taste, dried ricotta with chili, an excellent podolic caciocavallo.
Black Truffle of Bagnoli Irpino and products with truffles: The Black Truffle of Bagnoli Irpino (scientific name is “Tuber mesentericum”) is very appreciated for its unmistakable aroma. With the Tartufo di Bagnoli Irpino are produced typical flavored cheeses, such as a very valuable butter also used for the preparation of croutons and pasta, meat or fish dishes. In addition, “Tartufo di Bagnoli Irpino” is used for alcoholic preparations: grappa and liqueurs.
The Chestnut of Montella IGP: The territory of Bagnoli Irpino is part of the production area of the “Castagna di Montella I.G.P”, which also includes the territories of the Municipality of Montella, Cassano Irpino, Volturara Irpina, Nusco and Montemarano. This quality of chestnuts is very appreciated, especially abroad. With a particularly sweet taste, it is ideal for pastry: “castagnaccio”, chocolate chestnut balls and many other products. In addition, the chestnut processing industry produces “Castagne del prete” (dried and then softened), “marronata” and flour.
Mushrooms and other forest products: In the chestnut groves surrounding Bagnoli, from 700 meters up to 1809 of Mount Cervialto, in the beech woods, there are: the porcine in its various aspects (Boletus Reticulatus, Boletus Edulis, etc.), the nails, the hen, the egg and others. The period runs from May to September and depends on the climate, altitude and humus richness of the woodland. There is no other vegetable so appreciated as this product. Its particular flavor, the unmistakable scent, the different fine varieties make it a food celebrated by gourmets and appreciated by all palates. To collect mushrooms, you must have a badge so if you do not have it, you can buy them from authorized people, who personally goes to collect them at the first sunrise.


The stage: Hills! And a lot of action to start the day. Plus, rumors that Remco would be willing to give up the pink jersey today.
First, some tourism: Will the breakaway be doomed? This is a stage during which they may survive and with 40 kilometers to go their gap was still over 4 minutes. It was also the reason it took almost 80 kilometers for the break to form.
The composition of the break: Inside 10 kilometers and the gap was still over 4 minutes. It was dropping though, as Conci attacked his breakmates. He would be chased and caught, as the group grew smaller. Eventually at the front, it would be Leknessund, Ghebreigzabhier, and Paret-Peintre, making spelling quite a challenge. Surging to the front, Leknessund, but he would be caught by Paret-Peintre. The stage win looked like it would come down to one of the duo, but would they get pink? That was to be determined.
With the win, Paret-Peintre. But with this second place, pink to Leknessund!

The wine: Venditti Sannio Rosso $17.00 at Biondivino
A repost from 2012
Back in 1988, the Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso introduced the word organic for the first time with its review of Venditti's wines.  For over 20 years, Nicola Venditti has believed in tilling the soil and being certified organic. Those who still believe that “organic” equals “non-scientific” should think again. Nicola is an enologist and the very incarnation of a contadino (farmer). The vineyards have been in the family for over 400 years (thus the “antica” part of Antica Masseria), and he feels deeply passionate about his territory of Sannio, an area that may be less well known than the neighboring Taurasi, but is a real forgotten gem
Nicola Venditti eschews oak and kneels at the altar of steel; letting these wines really show their clean and distinct fruit of the native grapes (some of which he only cultivates). Come before harvest, and Mr. Venditti will  you taste the rare grape Barbertta in his didactic vineyard; and explain how Montepulciano and Barbera where catch-words for varieties people knew by sight by didn't have a set name for. His cantina is clean and he gladly whistles out PH and acid levels for those inclined. This humanist-techno-geek approach, he explains, is a combination of the "humanity" of ancient methods and local varieties, together with the "rationality" offered by technology.
Field blend of 50% "Montepulciano," 30% Olivella, 20% Aglianico. Deep purple color; nose of mulberry and cured black olives; walnut skin tannins; top flower notes. The native Olivella give that a hint of flower, as well as, some structure to the wine. "Montepulciano is in quotes because it seems very different (in taste and morphology) from the Montepulciano found in Abruzzo and elsewhere. Long live the daily drinkin' field blend and family style meals. 

I say: Pretty.  Deep purple with a nose that suggests flowers and cherries. Fresh, vibrant and juicy. I like this one a lot.

The Food: Lagane and Chickpeas

Ingredients:
1 2/3 CUPS of all-purpose flour
1 1/4 CUPS of re-milled semolina flour, plus extra
9 OZ. of boiled chickpeas
2 OZ. of guanciale (cured pork jowl)
1 OZ. of dried sweet chili pepper
4 ripe tomatoes
1/2 dried hot chili pepper
garlic
parsley
vegetable broth
extra-virgin olive oil
salt


For the lagane: Mix the all-purpose flour and  re-milled semolina flour together. Add 3/4 cup water, a little at a time, and knead until an even dough forms. Sprinkle the work surface with a bit of semolina and knead the dough until it becomes smooth and uniform. Roll out the dough into a thin 1/10" sheet. Cut strips measuring about 1" wide by 3" long. (Alternatively, you could use store-bought lagane or pappardelle).
For the sauce: Cut the guanciale into cubes. Wash and chop the tomatoes. In a saucepan, sauté 2 crushed unpeeled garlic cloves, the cubed guanciale, chili peppers, chopped tomatoes, 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt in 1/4 cup olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas and let simmer, stirring, for 2 minutes. Then add a few ladlefuls of vegetable broth. Cook for another 3 minutes.
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5-6 minutes. Drain and add to the chickpea sauce. Serve, topped with a drizzle of olive oil and chopped parsley to taste.
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