Last days in Calascio

Ciao,
Day 2 in Calascio we had a great lunch at our friend Peter's house in Santo Stefano di Sessanio
(a definite must when visiting this area of Abruzzo).
We brought over some fantastic local green olives, sweet tomatoes and some of that great spicy arrugula I mentioned yesterday plus a special treat: a dry salami of liver and honey (don't curl your noses, it was absolutely amazing) made by our friend Pipo who owns Sapori della Valle http://www.saporidellavalle.it/

On the Menu at Peter's
- Spaghetti acciughe, olio e peperoncino
Spaghetti made with a simple garlic, anchovy and peperoncino sauce
- Cotechino con Lenticchie e insalata di pomodori misti e Rughetta
Fresh pork sausage with lentils and assorted tomato and arrugula salad

The lunch lasted all day of course and was sprinkled with much vino: a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo from Cataldi Madonna.

Day 3 we went for a long walk up at the Rocca (uptown Calascio and worked up an appetite to visit our friend's Susanna e Paolo at Rocca Calascio http://www.rifugiodellarocca.it/

On the way, we saw a wild ladybug nest with zillions of bugs...

At Rifugio della Rocca we had a traditional Abruzzese meal with wild boar pappardelle and lamb cooked with Trebbiano wine and potatoes.

SPAGHETTI ACCIUGHE E PEPERONCINO

Here is a delicious simple recipe for 4

- 400gm Spaghetti
- 4 filets of salted anchiovies (rince and patt dry)
- fresh peperoncino or flakes to taste
- 2 cloves of garlic
- parsley
- extra virgin olive oil

. Bring water to a boil and salt
. in a skillet add a little olive oil and sautée the garlic on low flame
. when it starts to brown, discard.
. add anchovies and melt into oil, add peperoncino or flakes.

cook pasta for 2 minute less than time indicated
reserve some of the pasta water
add pasta to pan and add chopped parsely
Add reserved water and toss until you reach a nice creaminess.
Serve hot.

Buon Appetito!