Cooking with Chef Leo

Posted on by Mary
Olive oil transforms good food to greatness.
Olive oil transforms good food to greatness.

My visit to Galantino in Puglia, Italy, was a composition of olive oil familiarization, in-depth visits to Puglia’s cheese makers, ceramists, bread artisans and olive groves and, the fun part, cooking lessons with Galantino’s head chef Leo. I joined a group from Holland who was also there for the same adventure. Each day we prepared different dishes all using a variety of what else – olive oil! The two recipes here, a foccacia and Caprese Cake are described with mostly technique as the recipes were for the masses. In the upcoming weeks, when my Virtuous Olive site goes live and I am back from Italy, I will publish detailed recipes. The Caprese Cake is especially delicious and different with the addition of orange or mandarin olive oil.

Significant amounts of olive oil coat the foccacia pans. All this oil enhances the flavor of this delicious Italian staple.
Chef Leo pours significant amounts of olive oil to coat the foccacia pans. All this oil enhances the flavor of this delicious Italian staple.

Chef Leo’s foccacia is a mixture of flour and potato flour. This cuts down the gluten and makes it a softer, spongier bread.  The copious amounts of olive oil give the outer crust a crispiness.

The dough is pushed into the edges of the pan with fingertips to create the small divets characteristic of foccacia.
The dough is pushed into the edges of the pan with fingertips to create the small divots characteristic of foccacia.
We each "decorated" a foccacia with slightly simmered pomodoro - tomato - oregano and sea salt.
We each “decorated” a foccacia with slightly simmered pomodoro – tomato – oregano and sea salt.
Perla, the family dog, makes her hang out strategically and hopefully between the dining room and kitchen.
Perla, the family dog, makes her hang out strategically and hopefully between the dining room and kitchen.
Eggs and sugar whisk together until fluffy with air.
Eggs and sugar whisk together until fluffy with air in preparation for the Caprese Cake.
Maud stirs the orange olive oil into the melted chocolate. Decadent!
Maud stirs the orange olive oil into the melted chocolate. Decadent!
Cocoa powder and ground almonds are carefully folded into the eggs.
Cocoa powder and ground almonds are carefully folded into the eggs.
The melted chocolate is stirred into the batter and poured into a oil and floured pan to bake for oly 10 minutes.
The melted chocolate is stirred into the batter and poured into an oiled and floured pan to bake for only 10 minutes.
The group eagerly awaits dinner and....the Caprese Cake.
The group eagerly awaits dinner and….the Caprese Cake.
This cake tastes as good as it looks. The orange and almond marry well with the chocolate giving it intensity.
This cake tastes as good as it looks. The orange and almond marry well with the chocolate giving it intensity.

Recipes will be forthcoming! I am eating more than I ever have here in the land of food alive with flavor and taking notes!

Ciao for now.

Maria

0 thoughts on “Cooking with Chef Leo”

  2. Hurry home to share all things Italian. I will try the cake as soon as the recipe appears on the Virtuous Olive website.

  4. I would never do the cake as we’re not dessert people altho I’m srue it’s divine. I was really interest in the foccacia tho so will look forward to the recipe.

  5. How exciting! Can’t wait for the recipes, the website, and the chance to purchase the olive oil. ☺

  13. Thanks Julie! I think of you with all the artisans here in Lucca. I spent an afternoon at a glass blower, glass maker’s home in the hills. I’ll have to get you his website so you can take a look. Four more days of feasting until I give my body a rest!

  14. Gary & Carmen! How is life in Italy? I have barely ventured out of my comfort zone because I love Lucca and its hills so much. We will keep in touch as I will be back in spring to shop for balsamico!

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