In the Apulian tradition, we see many culinary delights taking centre stage, handed down for years from generation to generation, for example Chiacchiere at Carnival time, Torroni, Cartellate, Pastatelle and Pettole at Christmas time, orecchiette with turnip tops (generally cooked from November to April, as they taste better in the winter period) and many other most delicious dishes found on Apulian tables. But the one I am going to write about today has kept Apulian women busy for years during the period of Lent: the Onion Calzone.
The onion calzone has ancient origins and was prepared by housewives in Puglia during Lent. In reality, there is no specific reason connecting the calzone with Easter, but as we know, traditions must be respected... and handed down!
Over the years, and probably word of mouth will also have had a negative effect, the recipe has been modified or personalised; there are those who add yeast to the dough, those who leave the spring onions to ’rest“ for a couple of hours and those for the whole night, regardless of how it is prepared the result will certainly be a delight.
But the one I want to mention today is the recipe my mum uses, the exact one passed down to her years ago by my grandmother, who in turn had it passed down by her mother.
The ingredients are very simple to find, also because, considering the scarce financial resources that families had in the past, food tended to be prepared using products that the land and the season offered. Sponsali, or wild leeks, are typically found in Basilicata and the Salento area of Puglia (Lecce, Brindisi and Taranto), but there are many farms scattered across the region that produce them.
I feel I must point out that the calzone must necessarily have a circular shape, like a closed focaccia; this is the most certain thing that, despite various personalisations, has remained unchanged.
Preparing the dough:
- 500g of flour
- 200ml of extra virgin olive oil.
- 100ml of white wine
- 1 glass of water
- salt to taste.
Pile the flour into a mound (in the past, this was done on large wooden boards, which the women guarded jealously and on which they prepared at least 70% of Apulian specialities).
After that, knead thoroughly until everything is well combined. There’s no need to leave the “dough” to rise, as no yeast has been used. However, the oil will ensure that the dough is crisp and crumbly.
For the filling:
800g of sponsali
40 pitted olives (preferably black)
salted anchovies (to taste)
50g of cheese (Parmesan or Pecorino depending on your taste)
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste.
Salt to taste.
Pepper to taste.
Wash the seaweed, chop it roughly and leave it to soak in milk for a couple of hours. After that, cook it with a drizzle of oil and a glass of water, then add salt and pepper. Once cooked, add the cheese, anchovies and olives.
Next, grease a baking tray (ideally one with a diameter of 28 cm), roll out half of the dough you have prepared, spread the filling of sponsali, anchovies and olives over it, and finally cover it with the remaining dough.
Bake for 40–50 minutes at 180°.
As I mentioned earlier, there are various versions; you can also add raisins to the filling. But every calzone has its own recipe and its own history, and I like to preserve “my” version – or rather, the one passed down by my grandmother.
Strolling through the streets of Apulian villages during this Lenten season also means savouring the scents of days gone by – the scents of a time when tables were laid with just a few modest ingredients and people were happy simply for the sake of being together; the scent wafting from balconies, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves, where in days gone by calzoni and hundreds of other delicacies were baked, brings to mind an ancient Puglia – the one where we used to play in the streets, where we used to run through the countryside and hide in the trulli, the one of simple, authentic flavours that still today leave an indelible memory in the hearts of its visitors.
