Friarielli (wild broccoli) is a staple of Italian cuisine, known by a different name depending on which region you are in (see also ‘broccoletti’ in Rome, ‘rapini’ in Tuscany and ‘cime di rapa’ in Puglia). Known in Campania as friarielli, the word mimics the crackling sound they make when prepared in the traditional way – tossed still wet into sizzling EVOO with chilli and garlic, when you say FREE-AH-REE-ELLE-EE you can almost hear them sautéing! In the past, the vegetable was also cultivated in Naples itself, particularly on the Vomero hill, which was known as o’ colle de’ friarielle (the friarielli hill)
For this pizza we have been influenced by the flavours of an iconic Puglian pasta dish, orecciette con friarielli, which pairs the little ear-shaped pasta with friarielli, chilli and pagrattato crumb. It’s a particularly special dish to the region as locals will buy the pasta direct from sellers who make orecchiette on the backstreets, letting the little pieces dry out in the southern Italian sunshine whilst they work.
We have added capocollo, a cured pork produced in Martina Franca, Puglia. The pork neck is seasoned with salt and black pepper, massaged and left to rest to be soaked in vincotto. It’s then smoked with thyme and the bark of frango, which is an oak typical of Puglia. Our burrata is then generously dolloped on top – the Ponticorvo family have been making fresh cheeses in Caserta, Campania since 1968.
We use the friarelli to make a pesto with chilli and garlic, and then blend and whip with whole milk to create a smooth and creamy texture before adding the chilli pangrattato crumb and basil.
Our special pizza this month is perfectly paired with our Puglia Sunset Spritz, batch-bottled by us. It’s a gorgeous mix of Primitivo, lemon juice, almond syrup and Martini Bianco. We add a splash of soda and serve with fresh fig.
Salute!
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