Maggio 27th, 2009 Posted in Notizie
Nella Murgia dei Trulli, Noci è un intrigo di lindi vicoletti e tipiche gnostre (cortili aperti fra le viuzze), su cui si affacciano singolari architetture di antiche dimore. Alzando lo sguardo si scoprono comignoli in pietra, mentre agli angoli delle vie si incontrano le tipiche edicole votive, dedicate al patrono San Rocco. Il borgo è meta obbligatoria per chi ama l’enogastronomia. Per conoscere la cucina tradizionale c’è l’Antica Locanda, dove Pasquale Fatalino seleziona ottimi formaggi locali, dal caciocavallo alla mozzarella, e propone paste artigianali e grigliate miste.
(Dove Dossier Puglia-Aprile ‘09)
2 Responses to “L’Antica Locanda sul mensile “Dove Dossier-Puglia””
By Davide Mastro on Gen 27, 2010
The Cured Ham had driven early that day to Noci, a small town in the heart of Puglia, not far from the UNESCO town of Alberobello, home of The Trulli. I was looking to wander, take some pictures, eat gelato, pop my head into a wine shop, and have a reasonable lunch. And guess what, L’Antica Locanda made the Michelin Guide.
Earlier that morning at Masseria Aprile, I mentioned that I was taking a drive to Noci. Antonio immediately recommended that I eat at L’Antica. Anna, his wife, reinforced the recommendation first with her eyes and then verbally with an emphasis on their spread of antipasti. I have been to many restaurants in Italy that display a wide variety of antipasti they are serving that day. The diner often chooses the type and number of dishes they would like with their meal. Choosing a wide variety of antipasti sounded great, but then again, my Italian language skills aren’t quite where they should be to make too many leaps of faith.
However, L’ Antica has a different take on antipasti. My first tip-off, there was no display case or table to show you what’s available. I simply ordered the daily antipasti figuring it was around three different dishes, usually, all vegetables. Still, I spied other plates in the dining room and noticed a variety of antipasti on three plates and three plates only. Cured olives, roasted peppers, tomatoes on bread. Great. No problem, hell I’ll order today’s special lamb with potatoes too. Big Mistake!
List of Antipasti Served and Eaten at L’Antica Locanda
1. Fresh Ricotta
2. Fresh Mozzarella
3. Roasted Peppers
4. Coppa and salami
5. Marinated zucchini and artichokes
6. Roasted potato with rosemary
7. Warm plate of mixed olives
8. Regular cured plate of black olives
9. Terracotta bowl of braised porcini mushrooms with tomato
10. Fried zucchini blossoms
11. Baby green onions grilled and wrapped in bacon
12. Potato croquettes
I might be missing something in the list above, there easily could have been eggplant in there, I just don’t remember. And no, these were NOT one bite dishes. They were fork and knife plates and each of them were fresh and delicious. I especially liked the fresh cheeses. This lunch will be memorable for both great food and the variety of plates.
So the big question, did I eat the lamb as my main course? Yes, but I ditched the potatoes. All the dishes were well prepared and they did a nice job with the stew meat of lamb by deep frying it and then braising it with the potatoes for a hearty poor man’s stew.
In my postprandial haze, I don’t remember whether dessert came with the meal or if I ordered it. It’s Southern Italy. You always receive biscotti after a meal. Look at the picture above!! An entire biscotti plate and grappa to finish this over-eating escapade.
The Ham isn’t regarding this meal as one of my favorite in Italy because of volume or the number of courses. I think of this meal as one of my favorite because it was a perfect representation of Southern Italian hospitality and the use of seasonal ingredients in their purest form.