Puglia - 'Poo lee ah'

I left Puglia this morning and enjoyed the 3 days I was there.  I stayed in wonderful Villa Magnolia owned by Ron (an American) and Leslie (a Brit).  They were the most gracious hosts and have created an oasis in the countryside.  The weather wasn't the most cooperative but I had fun in spite of it. 

One afternoon they hosted a pizza party.  Ron has built a brick oven perfect for cooking wood-fired pizzas and baking foccacia.  They only had three guests while I was there (myself and a very cute young couple from London).  Leslie prepared the dough and then we each created our own pizzas and cooked them in the oven.  Mine was a masterpiece.  She also made delicious foccacia and eggplant parmesan for starters.  We ate under a grape arbor and finished with a dessert of panna cotta with sliced peaches (unfortunately soaked in alcohol, made before she knew I didn't drink).

The next day it poured.  The streets became rivers and I thought my little car was going to float away.  I think it rained at least 4 inches.  I did a bit of sightseeing in the morning and then returned to Villa Magnolia for a pasta making party that evening.  Again Leslie made the dough and we made a Puglian speciality, orecchiette, a little ear-shaped pasta.  I'm anxious to try it at home, at least once.  She made a delicious tomato sauce with meatballs for the pasta .  Dinner started with figs, stuffed with sweet gorgonzola and wrapped with prosciutto.  Oh my, it was so good.  For dessert she made a apple and lemon cake with a lemon sauce. 

With the beautiful dishes I bought in Ravello I can see an Italian dinner party in my future.  Hopefully I can re-create some of what I enjoyed at Villa Magnolia.

Perfetto!