Ocrecchiette pasta.
By DONNA HULL
Food is one of the defining elements of a culture. When visitors arrive in Missoula, what do you feed them? I’m guessing a grass-fed beefsteak, trout or fresh vegetables from the Missoula Farmer’s Market. In Italy, it’s all about pasta, which is why my photo from week 2 of touring Italy’s heel is this delicious looking dish.
While exploring Locorotondo, a quaint village of whitewashed buildings with colorful flowers cascading from every balcony, I experienced the best pasta of the trip. When Alan (my husband) and guide, Claudio, stepped into Trattoria Al Vecchio Arco, a family-run restaurant serving homemade food, we hit the jackpot of Italian dining.
The owner spoke very little English but he sure knew how to cook. He served up a whole-wheat ocrecchiette (pasta shaped like small ears) topped with tomato sauce and grated ricotta cheese. I could have stopped right there; but, of course, I didn’t. The eggplant parmagina deserved attention, too.
Does food define a place for you? Post a comment to share what you’ve discovered while dining on the road.
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Enjoy this look at Italy from the lens of a Montanan? Chances are you’ll like Donna Hull’s first blog in this series: Experiencing Italy the Slow Way: Subiaco, Italy.
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Donna L. Hull writes about active travel for baby boomers at My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Travel. She is also the author of My Itchy Travel Feet, Breathtaking Adventure Vacation Ideas, available at Amazon Kindle, Nook and iTunes. See all of Donna Hull’s blogs.
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