Summer in Puglia:

Summer in Puglia has a language all its own. It is made of intense light, Mediterranean scents, and ingredients that tell the story of the land without the need for complex transformations. In this scenario, extra virgin olive oil becomes the true protagonist of the summer table: lively, fragrant, capable of encapsulating the essence of the territory in every drop.

Used exclusively raw, EVO oil expresses its identity best: it enriches, binds, perfumes, and enhances every ingredient without overpowering it, but by exalting its natural freshness.

Why extra virgin olive oil is perfect in summer

In the warmer months, cooking becomes lighter and more immediate.

Extra virgin olive oil is ideal because:

• it preserves polyphenols and natural antioxidants intact
• it promotes digestion and intestinal well-being
• it gives aromatic freshness to dishes without the need for cooking
• it enhances simple and seasonal ingredients

In summer, oil is not a condiment: it's a state of mind

Extra virgin olive oil is best expressed on:

• seasonal Mediterranean salads
• raw vegetables and vegetable carpaccios
• cold pasta and light summer dishes
• fresh cheeses such as cacioricotta
• grilled bread, bruschetta or Puglian friselle

Summer Recipe: Crudaiola with cherry tomatoes, rocket pesto, black olives and cacioricotta

A simple, authentic and deeply Mediterranean recipe, where every ingredient is enhanced by raw EVO oil.

Ingredients (for 2 people)

• 180/200 g of Senatore Cappelli orecchiette
• Datterino or cherry tomatoes
• Pitted Puglian black olives
• Mixed Puglian cacioricotta
• Vivace extra virgin olive oil
• Whole sea salt
• Black pepper

🌿 Rocket pesto without garlic

• Fresh rocket
• Vivace extra virgin olive oil
• Salt
• (optional) a few drops of lemon or orange

Preparation

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water and drain it al dente, letting it cool. In the meantime, prepare a light pesto by blending the rocket with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt, and, if desired, a few drops of lemon or orange for a fresher note.

Cut the cherry tomatoes and add the black olives. Pour everything into a large bowl, add the cold pasta, and mix exclusively raw with the rocket pesto and a generous drizzle of Vivace EVO oil.

Finish with shaved cacioricotta and a grind of black pepper.

✨ The result

A fresh, balanced, and profoundly Mediterranean dish: the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes, the saltiness of the black olives, the creaminess of the cacioricotta, and the liveliness of the rocket pesto blend together thanks to the extra virgin olive oil, used strictly raw.

🍷 Wine pairing Lucarella

The summer crudaiola finds its ideal balance with a fresh wine from the Lucarella line, preferably:

• a young and mineral white (Bianco Martina Franca DOC)
• or a delicate and fragrant rosé (Susumaniello Rosato)

A wine capable of accompanying without overpowering, supporting the freshness of the dish and enhancing the aromatic component of the EVO oil.

👉 Lucarella wine accompanies the crudaiola with elegance, enhancing the freshness of the ingredients and the aromatic complexity of the extra virgin olive oil used exclusively raw.