Focaccia di San Giuseppe di Gravina

01 / О БЛЮДЕ

Что это за блюдо

Исходное описание на английском языке. Русский перевод ещё не добавлен.

Focaccia di San Giuseppe, locally referred to as U Rùcchelə, is a coiled, stuffed flatbread from the municipality of Gravina in Puglia, situated within the Metropolitan City of Bari. This culinary item emerged from the specific agricultural conditions of the Murgia plateau, where the availability of durum wheat and the seasonal harvest of sponsali, long, sweet spring onions, dictated the composition of local festive breads. The development of the recipe is legally protected by a De.Co. (Denominazione di Origine Comunale) designation, which codifies its link to the 19th of March, a date marking the end of the winter season and the commencement of the spring planting cycle. The preparation begins with a dough base consisting of re-milled durum wheat semolina, water, extra virgin olive oil, and a natural sourdough starter, which is rolled into a thin, elongated rectangular sheet. The filling is distributed evenly across the dough and consists of sliced sponsali, salted anchovies, sultanas, and black pepper, creating a combination of pungent, saline, and glucose-heavy profiles. The dough is then rolled into a long cylinder and twisted into a tight spiral shape before being placed in a circular baking tin. A technical aspect of the baking process is the high oil content within the spiral folds, which allows the dough to fry slightly from the inside while the onions steam, resulting in a dual texture of a crunchy exterior and a soft, laminated interior. The inclusion of sultanas serves a functional purpose by absorbing the excess moisture released by the onions during the high-temperature baking in stone ovens. The item is served in thick, wedge-shaped slices and is consumed primarily during the communal "Santu Giuseppe" bonfires or purchased from local bakeries during the month of March. It is eaten by hand at room temperature as a substantial midday meal or an evening snack. The high sodium content from the anchovies and the sweetness of the onions and raisins require a pairing with robust beverage profiles, typically a structured red wine from the region such as Primitivo or Aglianico, which possesses the necessary tannins to balance the lipid content of the olive oil.