All language subtitles for A.Taste.of.Italy.S01E05.Lecce.1080p.WEB-DL.DDP2.0.H.264-squalor

(gentle music)

(upbeat music)

- I'm chef and
restaurateur Nisha Katona.

The star of the show there
is the gorgeous aubergine.

I love coming to Italy on
delicious foodie forays

to see what Italians
are really eating.

This is a tuna hot dog. I've
never seen anything like it.

Buongiorno.

In the markets.

This is like an Aladdin's
cave for the pork lover,

which I am.

On the streets.

Mmm!

And in the restaurants.

It's well worth getting
here just to try this.

Now I'm taking the
path less traveled

to hidden culinary hot spots.

It's one of the most beautiful
cities I have ever seen.

On a voyage to uncover
recipes and ingredients

passed down through generations.

Wow! (laughing)

You bring in your
family, your history.

- Our history is the
base of our culture.

- Proving there is more to
Italian food than just pizza.

Mint and tuna, try it. (laughs)

I would never have
thought about it.

And on the way, I'll be
cooking up new dishes

inspired by my travels.

- It's fantastic.

- A million different colors

and a thousand
different flavors.

So, join me on an
idyllic Italian escape.

Delicious!

(gentle music)

The sun-kissed Salento peninsula

lies at the southernmost
point of Italy's heel

and is home to some
of the country's most
magnificent towns.

This could only be Lecce.

It's known as the
Florence of the South.

And it's absolutely
breathtaking.

It's one of the most beautiful
cities I have ever seen.

Unlike its Tuscan
cousin, however,

Lecce is devoid of crowds,
leaving visitors in peace

to soak up the splendor

of its honey-hued
Baroque architecture.

This is all limestone,
but it shines like marble.

And with the blue sky
and the sun on it,

it leaves me
completely speechless.

Unsurprising then that people
here are fiercely passionate

about all aspects
of their home town

and its food is no exception.

I can't wait to sample
some of the city's

most exquisite dishes from
Michelin-starred masteries

to home-cooked feasts,

plus I'll be whipping up my
own Leccese-inspired dish.

They smell incredible.

But first, breakfast.

Buongiorno.

Grazie.

What I love about Italy

is even their coffees are
particular to certain areas,

so this is a caffe leccese

which is a cold coffee
served with an almond syrup.

So it's sweet and it really
packs a gorgeous punch.

And very typically of
Italian breakfasts,

it's served with a cake
full of creme anglaise

which sets me up for a good
day in a beautiful city.

(upbeat music)

Here in Lecce,
there's a restaurant

that's been making the headlines

not only because of
its traditional dishes,

but because it has
ancient foundations

in more ways than one.

Quo Vadis is named after
the famous London restaurant

where its owner
Luciano once worked.

Today, I'm meeting the man
himself, plus his son Andrea,

to make salsiccia alla pignata,

a traditional Salento stew

of tender vegetables
and juicy sausages.

(pot lid clatters)

Buongiorno! Hello!

What a lovely kitchen! Oh, wow!

Luciano already has
a mouth-watering
sauce bubbling away

with olives, onions, white wine,

and some local greens, chicory.

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- So, sausages. Where
will you get the sausages?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- You're making them? You're
making sausages from scratch?

- He's gonna make the sausage.
- Oh, incredible.

Luciano is using a mixture
of veal and pork mince

which gives just the
right amount of fat

for a succulent sausage.

First, in goes some seasoning.

What is this?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- Wild fennel, but
you're using the seeds.

Wild fennel is not a vegetable,

but a herb with a
distinctly aniseed taste

and it's what makes
Luciano's sausages unique.

It's nice 'cause
fennel can be strong.

This is perfume, huh?
- Yeah, yeah.

- [Nisha] Next, time to
spice things up a little.

These are unreal. I can't
believe these are real.

(Andrea, speaks in
foreign language)

- [Nisha] Beautiful.

- (speaks in foreign
language) Lecce, Lecce.

- [Nisha] Lecce,
Lecce, Lecce. (laughs)

That's right, isn't it? Yes.

Wow, Luciano's
passion for his city

just radiates out of him.

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- Oh! Okay.

That's quite a bit.

What's so good is this
is easy to do, isn't it?

- Yeah.
- It's quite inspiring.

He doesn't look stressed.
He's a happy chef.

Look at his smile.

- He's a good actor.
(Nisha laughing)

He knows how to hide the stress.

Then you need always to check

if you need to add
something else.

- How is he gonna check?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- You can feel it!

So clever, yeah.

Yeah, so he can feel
the grit of the salt.

Just a sprinkling of Parmesan

and goat's cheese to
finish things off.

Now, what is this?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- [Nisha] Lining.

That's what's amazing,

is that you can find these
things in your butcher's.

- Yeah.
- Luciano uses the intestines

to encase the sausage meat.

It never really looks nice,
this, does it? (laughs)

But it's gonna taste good.

Where did you learn this dish?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- When you were little.

He's just so
masterful, isn't he?

- Yeah. He did millions
of them in his life.

- Yeah.

Next, Luciano
pierces the sausages

to allow those
delicious meaty juices

to flow out and
flavor the sauce.

That just looks incredible.

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- [Nisha] Yeah, of course.
(speaks in foreign language)

(laughs) It's always good.

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- I can deal with 15 minutes.

Much longer, I'd
have been crying.

And while our stew bubbles away,

Andrea has a surprise for me

because it turns
out that the dishes

aren't the only things
here with a bit of history.

Oh, my word, what
is this, Andrea?

What is this?

- [Andrea] Now, this
is a water system

from the fifth century BC.

- No!
- The Messapi people

used to collect the rainwater

through the channels
there, you see?

- [Nisha] The
Messapis were a tribe

that came before the Romans.

Andrea's family stumbled on the
ruins of their ancient world

20 years ago while trying
to build their restaurant.

- [Andrea] This is a granary.

Here they used to store
the grain, the flour.

- [Nisha] The family were forced
to delay opening Quo Vadis

until the site was excavated.

You're sitting on all of
this really precious stuff.

- Yeah, we went, like, from
a chef to Indiana Jones!

- (laughs) In 2008, the
area was opened as a museum

and the family finally began
their restaurant next door,

20 years later than
they had planned.

It's endless, isn't it?

I've gotta come back and
really investigate this place.

But now, time for lunch.

- Now it's ready.
- Oh, wow!

The smell! How do you eat this?

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

- Such a great idea.

So you don't need bread,
you don't need potatoes.

That's so healthy.
- You put on base.

- [Nisha] Fava beans
are a type of broad bean

and are a staple of
the Leccese kitchen.

You're cutting them in the pan.

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

(Nisha speaks in
foreign language)

- For me, just fava beans, yeah.

- And for me, his
sausages. (laughs)

- (laughs) No problem.

For you.

- [Nisha] Oh, thank you.

- [Andrea] Buon appetito.

- Buon appetito.

And thank you.
- Buon appetito.

Wow, what a feast!

Succulent salsiccia alla pignata

with a creamy fava bean puree.

Mm! The sausages are
really meaty and delicious.

- Take some more chicory.

- [Nisha] I've got
lots of chicory,

but if there are any
sausages going. (laughs)

And I'd better eat up 'cause
it looks like the boys

have another surprise
up their sleeves.

(upbeat folk music)

(Luciano speaks in
foreign language)

That's amazing.
- Yeah.

- [Nisha] This
traditional folk dance

is known as the
pizzica tarantata

and originated here on
the Salento peninsula.

- Whoo!
- Whoo!

- Whoo! (clapping)

- [All] Lecce, Lecce!

- That was such a
wonderful experience

and it's everything
that I love about Lecce,

its generosity, its homemade
sausages, great food,

history, and music.

What more could you want?

(gentle upbeat music)

Well, with my
insatiable appetite,
the answer is more food

because I hear that
the restaurants

aren't the only ones
here celebrating simple,

home-grown goods.

Here in Lecce, like
any other city,

I begin my understanding
of the place

by looking at the street food

and here it's all
about the bread,

bread full of bountiful,
beckoning ingredients,

so I'm heading to the place
where I hear this all started.

(upbeat music)

Buongiorno.
- Ciao.

- [Nisha] This is the bread
I've been seeing everywhere.

- That's our bread, puccia.

- Puccia.
- Puccia.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Oh, fantastic!

La Prelibatezza has been
serving these rustic breads

for over 80 years.

Today, Giuseppe is at the helm.

Is this your family business?

- Three generations.

- [Nisha] Three generations.

- [Giuseppe] Grandfather,
father, and me.

- Fantastic.
- Grazie.

- And while puccia leccese

are commonly eaten as
luscious filling sandwiches,

the star of the show is
actually the bread itself

which has a range of
different ingredients

mixed into its dough.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Right, yeah, yeah.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Cime de rape is a
bitter green vegetable

related to the turnip.

This is fascinating.

So, this bread has got that
kind of greenery baked into it.

Baking ingredients
into the bread this way

means Giuseppe's puccia

are filled with flavor
from the inside out.

Where does this dish come from?

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- [Nisha] Historically, the
peasants kept these breads

in their large, loose trousers,
hence their name puccia

which comes from the
local word for pocket.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Wow! So, this is well known.

- Si.
- Well, I would love one.

I would love one of these.

And what's going to go in it?

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- [Nisha] Nice, uh-huh.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Oh, don't.

Love it, yeah.

Nothing complicated
happening here,

just simple ingredients,
but all local, local, local.

(Giuseppe speaks in
foreign language)

- Grazie.

That is beautiful.

It's so full.

- Very, very good.

- Yes, it's spectacular.
- Grazie. Grazie.

- Arrivederci.
- Ciao.

- This is a massive sandwich.

I'm going in. I'll try
and get my mouth round it

Oh, my word. Oh, my word!

(majestic music)

(chuckles) Mm!

It's moist and moreish

and you've gotta not
care what you look like

when you're eating
something like this.

Usually, the bread is
the secondary thing.

Here, to me, the bread
is almost the best part.

Fabulous!

These beautiful breads
prove that simple,

home-grown ingredients are
often the most delicious

and I can't wait to
taste even more of them

because I've still
got a Michelin-starred

meal to make room for and my
own Leccese dish to prepare.

That's what we're talking about.

All washed down with a cocktail

from the coolest bar in town.

Mm!

(light upbeat music)

Today, I'm soaking up the
sunshine in lovely Lecce.

I've already sampled some
of the area's best bites,

all made using humble
local ingredients,

but before I whip up my own
deliciously simple dish,

I thought I'd treat myself to
something a little bit fancy.

It's no surprise that in
a city as fine as Lecce,

there is a trendy
Michelin-starred restaurant

and I've managed to get
myself a backstage pass.

That restaurant is Bros

whose minimalist decor
and vinyl cover menus

are a fitting introduction
to the woman in charge,

25-year-old Isabella
Poti, part chef...

Buongiorno.
- Hey!

- [Nisha] Hello!

Part rock star.

Isabella's dish is going to
be pure molecular gastronomy

and will be unlike anything
I've tasted in Italy before.

- So, actually, we
are doing our foam

and we serve it with a cheese.

Really easy.
- So it's just a foam?

- A quince foam.

- Quinces are an ancient fruit,

a bit like apples, but
sharper and more fibrous.

Do quince grow here?

- Is all the province of Lecce,

there are a lot of trees
that are growing everything.

So, we always use wild ones.

- [Nisha] Wild quinces
are especially sour.

- If you taste it
raw, it's really bad,

so we always cook them.

- Is this something that's based
on a traditional dish here?

- Yeah. It's like the quince
paste we call cotognata.

- [Nisha] Cotognata are
traditional quince candies

that are popular in Lecce.

I can't wait to see
Isabella transform them

into a fine-dining dessert.

- And we will do the
plate with a cheese.

- Lovely.
- It's just with goat milk.

- Is that a very
typical thing of Lecce?

- Actually, we don't
have so many cows here,

so not so many cow milk.

So, that's why we always have
goat cheese or a sheep cheese.

- I love that you're being
led by the landscape,

by actually the flora and fauna.

- For the next generation,

they have to understand
what's behind the food.

So, this is what
we want to follow.

- [Nisha] Isabella has already
peeled and chopped the fruit,

so all that's left
to do is juice it.

- You can see that it's
really getting dark.

It's like brown.

- You can see it's already
beginning to oxidize.

- [Isabella] It's
beginning already.

- [Nisha] To counteract this,

Isabella adds some
ascorbic acid,

similar to how you might do
at home with lemon juice.

- [Isabella] It
works really fast.

- [Nisha] This step is important
as, if allowed to oxidize,

the taste of the
mixture would change

and become more metallic.

- I will just put
everything into the pot,

so we can boil it.

- [Nisha] Is that quite sour
and astringent and bitter?

- Yeah. Do you want to taste it?

- Yeah, I really do.

Sorry. (laughs)
- Yeah. I will.

I'll let you taste it.
- I find it fascinating.

(upbeat music)

It's great, but it's sour.

- Yeah, it is.

So, actually, I
will put some sugar

because we need a little
bit of sugar, of course.

And then lemon juice.

- [Nisha] To add a slightly
different note of acidity.

- Now I will just
put this on the stove

because it has to be
a little bit cooked.

- [Nisha] Reducing
the mixture like this

will give a sweeter,
more intense flavor.

- I'll just bring it to you,

so you can see that, the color.

- Oh, my word, what a color!
- That changes.

- And the smell.

- The smell changes it also.
- The color is beautiful.

- [Isabella] The
color is beautiful.

- [Nisha] It's an
apricotty kind of color.

Next, Isabella cools things off

before adding a couple
of special ingredients.

- This is xanthan gum.

This is a kind of gelatine

because we have to
thicken it a little bit.

And this is called
inulina in Italian,

like natural vegetable fiber,

so you can have a silky
and creamy consistency.

- This is a textural
thing. Okay.

- Yeah, the texture.

When you have a long menu...

Like, the menu we
have is 13 courses.

You have to be really careful
on every single detail.

- [Nisha] Are we happy?

- Mm!
- Good! (laughs)

- [Isabella] Mm! It's good.

I like it
- Still makes you smile, huh?

- [Isabella] Yeah.

- [Nisha] And into
the siphon it goes.

- [Isabella] This is okay.

- [Nisha] So, this is
how you create the foam?

- Yeah.

Shake, shake, shake.

Now it's good.

Okay, now maybe I can
just let you sit down

and you can taste.
- That would be wonderful!

Yeah, great. I will
see you in a minute.

Can't wait to taste this.
- Okay!

- [Nisha] So, while Isabella
makes magic in the kitchen,

I go and get comfortable
in the restaurant.

(foam hissing)

Service at the table.

- Always. Because we want the
foam to last the most we can.

- Wow, Isabella's
wizardry is complete

with a delicate quince foam

and creamy goat's cheese.

(gentle thoughtful music)

I think it's fantastic.

So quincey!

- [Isabella] Exactly.

- They're just flavors of
your landscape, aren't they?

- Yeah, this is important.
- I love how simple it is.

It's not simple. This is one
of the most complex I've seen.

- Yeah! Actually, it's
just a few elements.

- But you really
celebrate each ingredient.

I know it's hard work, but
my gosh, it's worth it.

- Thank you. I'm so
happy that you like it.

- No, I love it. I'd sit here
and do 13 courses like that.

(Isabella laughs)

(relaxed music)

In all the years
I've eaten in Italy,

it's not for the fine
dining that I come,

and yet there was
something so reassuring

about the way that
Isabella cooked.

It was to do with the flavors
of her land and it was fine

and yet it was the most
homely thing I've tasted.

It's this idea of home that's
clearly so important here,

so I feel honored that
to cook my own dish,

the Quo Vadis boys are
letting me into theirs.

Let's just hope
they join me later

for a taste of my
perfect pork patties

with a silky apple
and fennel coleslaw,

a dish inspired by the amazing
food I've tasted here today.

We start with some minced pork.

And the fattier it is, the
better it is for burgers

or patties because fat
is a good flavor carrier.

Start by seasoning the meat.

Now, one of the prized
ingredients of Italy

is this fennel seed and it's
gonna give this patty mix,

which is a bit like the
sausage mix that Luciano made,

a lovely, lovely fragrance.

Fairly simple so far,

but then I met Isabella and
her love for the quince,

so this is just a
green, sharp apple

and I'm just gonna grate
some of that into this.

So, we go skin and all because
the skin gives you texture,

the flesh gives
you sour and sweet.

Finally, just to give this
dish a bit of a wake-up call,

a little bit of lemon zest.

Then just bring
everything together,

get the oil on and start
making those patties.

So get a good ball.

And in we go.

Fry for about four
minutes on each side

without touching them

to make sure the outsides
go brown and crispy.

(pan sizzles)

If you're doing this
with lamb or beef,

you can have them
a little bit pink.

With pork, you want them
just cooked through.

They smell incredible.

Let me just give my
hands a little wash.

Right, I'm gonna
make a really simple

apple and fennel
coleslaw to go with this.

Chop the tops off.
(knife clunks)

And it's a shaved coleslaw,
so we take our fennel bulb

and simply shave the heck
out of it into a bowl.

You can do this with
any crisp fruit or veg

and it's a great way to
use up raw ingredients,

plus it looks fancy too.

I wanna just check on
my burgers. There we go.

That's what we're
talking about. (laughs)

What's not to like
about that color?

Next, it's back to the coleslaw

and I'm shaving
in some red apple

for a pop of fruity sweetness.

Do you remember how
Isabella used ascorbic acid

to stop oxidization?

I don't want this to go brown.

So, I'm gonna squeeze
on some lemon juice.

Toss those together.

Season it with a bit
of salt and pepper.

And now, a bit of yogurt.

Bit of parsley on top.

And that's done.

Now out come my patties
for a quick rest

which will allow
the meat to relax,

cook to perfection, and
become especially juicy.

I'm gonna serve my patties

in these fantastic
homemade breads

that I got from Giuseppe.

Assemble the burgers with some
fresh veg for added crunch.

I'm using bitter Italian
salad leaves and tomatoes.

Crispy and oozing,

and finally, because it wasn't
quite full enough, obviously,

bit of that fantastic
apple and fennel coleslaw.

A million different colors and
a thousand different flavors.

And there they are, my crisp
and golden pork patties

with a sweet and silky coleslaw,

all served in the
softest of burger buns.

(Nisha laughs)

(Nisha speaks in
foreign language)

(Andrea speaks in
foreign language)

Ciao! Salute!

- This is good. This is good.

- That's a good endorsement.

- Brava, Nisha.
- Yeah. Grazie.

- [Luciano] Brava!

- [Nisha] Mm!

You've got a good father,
Andrea. You really have.

- He's has a good son.

- He's got a good son! (laughs)

- Well, for me, it was an
honor to meet both of you.

I'm coming to the end of
my time in magical Lecce,

but I'm not leaving
until I've had a cocktail

in one of the most
happening bars in town.

This small, but
perfectly formed bar

serves up twists on
classic Italian cocktails.

Its name, Quanto Basta,

which means, "When
is it ever enough?"

Well, for me, when it
comes to this city,

the answer is never.

(speaks in foreign
language) Ciao!

- Ciao, Nisha.
- Ciao!

What shall I have?

What is your best drink?

- Okay. Do you want to
try Pomegranate Collins?

It's the very best drink
in the Quanto Basta.

- Perfect. Absolutely.
- The most popular.

- Absolutely, yes.
- Okay.

- In goes two parts gin to
one part pomegranate syrup,

a squeeze of lemon,
topped up with ginger ale.

Fantastic.

Finished with sliced lemon,
mint, pomegranate seeds,

and a sprinkling of sugar.

Oh, it's beautiful.
- Enjoy.

Grazie mille! Thank you so much.

What a way to end
my time in Lecce

with a Pomegranate Collins.

(gentle music)

Mm!

- You like?
- I love it.

I like it a bit too much.

(both laughing)

And it's not just this drink,

but this whole beautiful
city that has stolen my heart

with its passion, pride,
and heavenly food.

While the skills of the chefs
here might be world-class,

when it comes to
their ingredients,

home is where their heart is.

(lively music)