on a bike again

September 12, 2024

I gave myself three days in Gallipoli because there was a day cycle tour that looked interesting from that little town with Salento Bici Tours. As is sometimes the case, the booking form defaulted to two people - seems it was. not possible for a solo traveller to book - this was resolved with an email to the company. I only point this out because it happened to me in Bordeaux years ago. I get that if you are a tour operator and you want 10 bums on bikes, a person like me mucks up you maximising numbers, but sometimes there are more than one solo traveller in the world at any given time who may want to bike. This can also happen in restaurants when travelling, but enough said on that.

9 am meeting at the train station, and a mint green bike for the day. We are cycling 20 ks to a villa for a cooking course, a three course meal and a swim. We are a group of 6, a french woman cycling Salento area for 6 days, an Italian couple from Bologna and Guilia and Laura, sporty spices from Lecce and Roma respectively. The cycling was flat, first on the primary road (maybe Italian drivers don't like cyclists so much) and then on to secondary roads and unsealed lanes through olive trees. The olive trees in this region have been struck by a bacteria and hundreds of thousands of trees are dying. It has been a chaotic response to this disaster, but now there is replanting of a bacteria resistant strain of trees. There are fig trees, almond trees, prickly pears (the fruit on these are delicious but the juice stains like a MF! My linen dress still has the rusty spots despite all manner of laundry products from fruit last year in Tricasse.

The owner of the cycle company has a family house in the country - the most beautiful Italian house with a table that seats up to 20 - there is accomodation in the form of glamping, a huge pool, expansive gardens, and a nonna arms which have pummelled pasta into shape for many years. We donned aprons, poured a glass of wine and watched Ana (Nonna) make a potato pie, variously taking turns as assistants.

We had stopped at a cheese shop on the way and the fresh ricotta purchased was used for the desert. lace thin pancakes made from beaten eggs, a touch of water and a touch of oil (no flour) were fried and then filled with the ricotta softened with sugar, cointreau, grated chocolate, glazed fruit and... more cointreau sprinkled over the top with a bit of brown sugar!

Next trick, semolina flour mixed with water, pounded and stretched by nonna and Antonio to a smooth mound of pasta to make orecciette, the little pasta ears. Our specimens did not look like the ones that the pasta ladies make in the street in Bari - but we concentrated hard, produced enough to feed and army, and these were placed in the sun to dry.

Interlude for a swim and a chat...

A huge table was set for the group, (now we are 16 with a group of 6 Canadians who cycled from another direction) and we all took our places...prima plati was the pasta made lovingly by our hands served with a tomato sauce - just fresh tomatoes simmered down into a sweet rich sauce served with a grated fresh cheese and a bowl of fermented ricotta.

Secondi plati - Eggplant charred in the oven and tossed with oil with a bit of vinegar, capers and mint. Zuchini roasted and tossed in bread crumbs. Simple flavours, all served at room temperature. And the potato pie, the potato pie. Rich yellow potatoes boiled, eggs added, parmesan added with salt. Keep tasting it until it is perfect - grab handfuls, and create a pastry (oil first) on the base of the pie dish - then a layer of a rich tapenade made from many onions simmered down, add fresh tomatoes, olives, capers and canned tuna. Then layer the potato on top again. Score the top, olive oil and bake for 40 mins. Superb.The followed by the ricotta pancake desert, and a food coma. Honestly, did not want to get on the bike, and did not eat for the rest of the day. (but met with some of the group and drank cocktails, also not recommended after a day in the sun but thoroughly worth it.)