Sustainability in Orsara

Classic dish of Orsara - Orecchietti, it was delicious!

Over the weekend, we learned about sustainability.  At Peppe Zullos place, there are many facets to the property.  There is the cooking school, which we have been blessed to attend, there are the many produce fields, which has produced a wonderful bounty for our appetites, there are the vineyards and we most certainly have enjoyed our share of vintages, there are the wheat fields, which has provided us a wonderful flour to make a variety of pastas, along with the meat curing aspect too. 
Peppe, explained that sustainability is knowing how to use the seasons to produce all year round.  When one aspect of his business is ready for harvest, another is growing, or curing.  It is important to have something in the process that will be ready when the current bounty is harvested.  As one door closes another door opens? In effect that was what he explained and showed us with his business. 
We enjoyed learning about the food of the "poor" people.  During the history of Southern Italy, there has been periods of poverty, war and hardship.  The people in the Puglia region were resilient and learned to work with what the earth provided in whatever quantity.  They have taken the leftovers after harvest and found ways in which to create nourishing foods for their families.  Of course legumes was always considered a "povera" dish, but now we have seen the beauty of legumes in many Italian dishes. 

Wine room for tasting.  The angel is offers the heart for all, but wine for some.

Another such creation has come from the burnt wheat.  Farmers would burn the crops down after harvest and discard the left overs.  However, the Pugliese people, took the leftover burnt crops and made flour that would fashion their pastas.  We used this same flour to make our pastas in the school for our meals and the results were scrumptious.  Sometimes solutions come from desperate situations and the results are far superior than the original.

We have been given an opportunity to live, learn and love the land here and we are all blessed for this experience!