At this time of year, the tables of the people of Salento are set not only with panettone and pandoro, but also with symbolic local Christmas sweets such as purceddhruzzi, carteddhrate, pasta di mandorla, mustazzoli, and pittule.

These dishes have become traditionally “Christmas” because in the past people had no way to enjoy them at any time of the year, but were prepared only during this holiday. Almonds and honey are basic ingredients of these specialties because of Byzantine influences from the East of the 10th century.

Purceddhruzzi are small balls of sweet dough, fried until crispy, dipped in honey and finally placed on top of each other, finishing them off with various toppings such as cinnamon, pine nuts, almonds, peanuts or other.

Carteddhrate (or “cartellate” in the Italian term) are sweets similar to purceddhruzzi.  The name is the dialect version of “incartocciate,” as in fact it is for sheets of dough.

These are strips of sweet pastry, twisted into various shapes and fried until crispy. Again, this is embellished with honey and other toppings such as almonds, pine nuts, cinnamon, and hazelnut granules.

The weave is meant to symbolically bring back memories of the bundle in which the baby Jesus was wrapped at the time of the Nativity, or a halo, or even the crown of thorns of Jesus condemned to the Cross.

Mustazzoli are Christmas sweets that resemble large pastries and consist of a heart made of sugar, flour, almonds and honey with a chocolate frosting coating. Unlike other pastries, mustazzoli are of Arabic derivation, and evidence of this is the fact that they have no leavening. The full name is “mustazzoli nnasprati,” in fact “naspro” is the dialect term used for the icing that covers the dessert. These cookies in particular, in addition to Christmas, are also quite popular for patronal festivals.

Almond paste is a sweet that is shaped like a fish at Christmas time, but it is also molded into other shapes depending on the time of year, such as in the shape of a lamb at Easter time. For Christmas, the shape of the fish comes from ancient Christian symbolism for which the fish is a representation of the baby Jesus.

Salento’s tasty pittule are one of the main symbols of Salento street food, but they become delicious sweets exclusively during the Christmas season.

Pittule are fried dough balls made with water and flour, which can sometimes be filled with savory ingredients such as olives, anchovies, cauliflower and cherry tomatoes.

In the sweet version, however, pittule are garnished with sugar to taste or honey after being fried.

If you try to prepare one of these sweets, it will be a guaranteed success!

Pro Loco Casalabate Marina di Squinzano wishes you a happy Christmas and happy holidays.

DOLCI NATALIZI DELLA CULTURA SALENTINA

In questo periodo dell’anno le tavole dei salentini sono imbandite, oltre che da panettoni e pandori, anche da dolci simbolici del Natale locale come purceddhruzzi, carteddhrate, pasta di mandorla, mustazzoli, e dalle pittule calde.

Questi piatti sono diventati tradizionalmente “natalizi” perché in passato il popolo non aveva modo di gustarli in qualunque periodo dell’anno, ma venivano preparati solo durante questa festività. Mandorle e miele sono ingredienti fondamentali di queste specialità a causa degli influssi bizantini d’oriente del X secolo.

I purceddhruzzi sono delle piccole palline di pasta dolce, fritta fino a diventare croccante, fatte passare nel miele ed infine messe le une sopra le altre completando il tutto con condimenti vari come cannella, pinoli, mandorle, noccioline o altro.

Le carteddhrate (o “cartellate” nel termine italiano) sono dei dolci simili ai purceddhruzzi.  Il nome è la versione dialettale di “incartocciate”, così come di fatto è per le sfoglie di pasta.

Si tratta di strisce di pasta dolce, intrecciate in varie forme e fritte fino a diventare croccanti. Anche qui il tutto è impreziosito con miele e altri condimenti come mandorle, pinoli, cannella, granellini di nocciola.

L’intreccio vuole simbolicamente riportare alla memoria il fascio in cui fu avvolto Gesù Bambino al tempo della Natività, oppure un’aureola, o ancora la corona di spine del Gesù condannato alla Croce.

I mustazzoli sono dei dolci natalizi che assomigliano a dei grandi pasticcini e sono costituiti da un cuore fatto di zucchero, farina, mandorle e miele con un rivestimento in glassa al cioccolato. A differenza degli altri dolci, i mustazzoli sono di derivazione araba e ne è dimostrazione il fatto che non hanno lievitazione. Il nome completo è “mustazzoli nnasprati”, infatti il naspro è il termine dialettale utilizzato per indicare la glassa che ricopre il dolce. Questi dolci in particolare, oltre che per Natale, sono piuttosto diffusi anche nelle feste patronali.

La pasta di mandorle è un dolce che nel periodo natalizio ha la forma di un pesce, ma che viene modellata anche in altre forme in base al periodo dell’anno, ad esempio a forma di agnello nel tempo pasquale. Per il Natale, la forma del pesce deriva da un’antica simbologia cristiana per cui il pesce è una rappresentazione di Gesù Bambino.

Le gustose pittule salentine sono uno dei principali simboli dello street food salentino, ma diventano dei dolci squisiti esclusivamente durante il periodo Natalizio.

Le pittule sono delle palline di pasta fritta realizzate con acqua e farina, che possono essere a volte riempite con ingredienti salati come olive, acciughe, cavolfiori e pomodorini.

Nella versione dolce, invece, le pittule vengono guarnite con zucchero a volontà oppure con del miele, dopo essere state fritte.

Se proverete a preparare uno di questi dolci il successo sarà garantito!

La Pro Loco Casalabate Marina di Squinzano vi augura un felice Natale e buone feste.

INFO

For information about our initiatives you can contact us at 347 5365573, by e-mail info@prolococasalabate.it or drop by our office at Via Matteotti, 12 in Squinzano.

Also, to stay updated you can check our website www.prolococasalabate.it or our social pages Pro Loco Casalabate Marina di Squinzano on Facebook and Instagram.

L'articolo DISCOVER CASALABATE: DOLCI NATALIZI DELLA CULTURA SALENTINA proviene da Pro Loco Casalabate.

The Discover column this month introduces you to a new initiative: on December 10, 2023, at 9 a.m., the Pro Loco Casalabate, in collaboration with “La Cuccuascia Gruppo Trekking Squinzano”, invites members, friends, citizens and the Municipal Administration to participate in an evocative day of trekking in the Marina of Casalabate, one of the naturalistic jewels of the Salento Adriatic coast.

Surrounded by a spectacular landscape of crystal clear sea and fine sands, the area offers a unique contrast of colors with the inland countryside. Exploration on foot proves to be the best choice to fully discover this beauty.

The starting point will be the “Torre Casa te l’Abate”, which welcomes participants with its history, formerly a refuge for the last fishermen. From here, the route will continue to the more ancient “Torre Specchiolla”, later reaching the small altar of “Sant’Anna alla Pietra” and then continue to the Canuta area, the extreme edge of Squinzano’s territory on the sea. Along the way, we will stop at the church dedicated to “Madonna dell’Assunta”, and then continue inland to discover ancient fortified farms, trulli and vore.

With an expected duration of about 3 hours and a distance of 10 km, the day will include a lunch break, where participants can enjoy a self-managed picnic meal. Along the way, there will be stops to fully appreciate the beauty of the area.

An interesting note is the possibility of participating in the trek with your own dog. However, it is mandatory to notify the guide in advance of the presence of the animal in order to assess suitability and how to participate.

Cuccuascia – Gruppo Trekking Squinzano, affiliated with Pro Loco Casalabate, is committed to promoting and enhancing the area, making all excursions free for Pro Loco members. An experienced AIGAE Hiking Guide will accompany participants, ensuring a safe and informative experience.

“Casalabate – Route Between Nature, Culture and Colors” promises to be an engaging and fascinating experience, an opportunity to explore the history, culture and natural beauty of this picturesque part of Salento.

For information on participation, contact 3475365573

DETAILS

• MEETING POINT: “Torre Casa te l’Abate” Piazza Nicola Arigliano – Casalabate
• COORDINATES MEETING POINT: 40°29’52.5″N 18°07’22.9″E
• MEETING at 08:45 a.m. – DEPARTURE at 9:00 a.m. – WE RECOMMEND MAXIMUM PUNCTUALITY
• SERVICES AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTURE: Bar/salumeria (Valentino Bar).
• WE WILL MOVE IN AUTONOMY WITH OUR OWN CARS (at the meeting point).
• THIS ROUTE IS BEING DONE FOR THE FIRST TIME
• December 10, 2023

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

• ROUTE DIFFICULTY: T (tourist) WHAT IT MEANS: Routes that take place on flat terrain, both paved, sandy and country trails
• DISTANCE 10 km approx.
• LOOP ROUTE

EQUIPMENT:

• TECHNICAL CLOTHING specifically.
• TREKKING BOOTS (or sneakers)
• LONG PANTS
• K-WAY
• LOTS of water (we won’t find any along the way)
• PERSONAL GLASS
• TECHNICAL BACKPACK
• FIRST AID KIT (if any)
• Packed lunch
• Hat to protect yourself from the sun

PETS FRIENDS:

YES ON LEASH. Participants who wish to participate accompanied by their own dog are REQUIRED to notify the organizers in advance of the presence of the animal in tow, in order to assess suitability and participation arrangements. It will be at the discretion of the guide to confirm or deny the dog’s eligibility for participation.

COSTS

“La Cuccuascia – Gruppo Trakking Squinzano” part of “Pro Loco Casalabate Marina di Squinzano APS”, promotes and enhances the territory, leading participants through cultures and traditions. FOR OUR MEMBERS all our excursions in the area are FREE, for non-members there is a small contribution of €5.00.

GUIDE who collaborates with La Cuccuascia – Gruppo Trekking Squinzano®

GUIDE AIGAE PU214

CONTACT DETAILS AND INFO

For information about our initiatives you can contact us at 347 5365573, by e-mail info@prolococasalabate.it or drop by our office at Via Matteotti, 12 in Squinzano.

Also, to stay updated you can check our website www.prolococasalabate.it or our social pages Pro Loco Casalabate Marina di Squinzano on Facebook and Instagram.

L'articolo DISCOVER CASALABATE proviene da Pro Loco Casalabate.