A contemporary Apulian recipe, where the creaminess of Caciocavallo meets the intense aroma of coffee and the personality of Susumaniello.
Apulian cuisine is born from simple ingredients, but it knows how to surprise when they are chosen with care and used in the right way.
This recipe is an example: fettuccine, sweet Caciocavallo from Martina Franca, and coffee-infused extra virgin olive oil. Three seemingly very different elements that, together, create an elegant, creamy, and surprising dish.
The final touch is provided by a few drops of coffee-infused extra virgin olive oil, added strictly raw. The result is a refined contrast between the sweetness of the cheese, the texture of the pasta, and the toasted, aromatic notes of the coffee.
And to accompany the dish, a glass of Susumaniello Lucarella red wine, a typical Apulian grape variety characterized by its intense color, structure, freshness, and a pleasant fruity and spicy component.
Our recipe:
Ingredients – 4 servings
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320 g fettuccine
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180 g sweet Caciocavallo from Martina Franca
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approx. 120 ml whole milk
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30 g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (30 months)
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salt to taste
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a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
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L’Acropoli di Puglia coffee-infused extra virgin olive oil, to taste (only as a condiment)
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a few coffee beans, for decoration
Preparation
1. Prepare the Caciocavallo cream
Cut the sweet Caciocavallo into small cubes.
Pour the milk into a small saucepan and heat it over very low heat, without letting it boil.
Gradually add the Caciocavallo and whisk until you get a smooth and homogeneous cream.
Add the Parmigiano and continue to stir until you reach a velvety consistency.
The secret is the temperature: the cream must not boil. Too intense a heat could make the cheese stringy and separate the fat content.
2. Cook the fettuccine
Bring plenty of salted water to a boil and cook the fettuccine.
Drain them al dente, reserving a small amount of the cooking water.
Transfer the pasta to the pan with the Caciocavallo cream and mix gently.
If necessary, add a couple of tablespoons of the cooking water to make the cream even more fluid and enveloping.
3. The most important moment: the coffee oil
Plate the fettuccine while still hot.
At this point comes the distinctive touch of the recipe:
add the coffee-infused extra virgin olive oil exclusively raw.
You don't need much: a few drops are enough to scent the dish and create an elegant contrast with the Caciocavallo cream.
The infused oil must be used as a final condiment.
Finish with a very light grind of black pepper and, if you wish, a few coffee beans as a decorative element.
Why use extra virgin olive oil raw?
Extra virgin olive oil is not just a condiment: it is one of the characteristic foods of the Mediterranean diet and provides mainly monounsaturated fats, as well as minor compounds naturally present in the oil.
Among these are polyphenols, substances that contribute to the sensory characteristics of many quality oils, such as bitter and spicy notes.
Scientific research continues to study the role of phenolic compounds in extra virgin olive oil in our diet.
In 2025, EFSA published new scientific assessments on specific health claims related to EVO oil polyphenols.
For this reason, in the philosophy of L'Acropoli di Puglia, quality oil deserves to be valued above all raw, when its scent, taste, and aromatic characteristics can express themselves fully.
Our advice
Do not use coffee-infused oil for cooking.
Its role in this recipe is that of a true final ingredient: it must reach the dish after cooking, just as you would with a precious condiment.
A few drops can be enough.
The perfect wine: Susumaniello Lucarella
For this recipe, we choose the Susumaniello Lucarella, a wine that brings one of Puglia's characteristic grape varieties to the glass.
Susumaniello is known for its structure, good acidity, and intense fruity and spicy components. Depending on the winemaking style, it can express notes of red and black fruits, spices, and a pleasant persistence.
In this pairing, the wine plays an important role.
The creaminess and sweetness of the Caciocavallo are balanced by the freshness and structure of the Susumaniello, while its fruity and spicy notes dialogue with the particular aromatic component of the coffee.
The result is an Apulian pairing, but far from predictable.
Serving temperature
Serve the Susumaniello slightly chilled, around 16–18 °C, so as to enhance its freshness and better accompany the creaminess of the dish.
The secret of this recipe
It's not the quantity of the ingredients.
It's the balance and the quality.
The Caciocavallo brings softness and intensity.
The pasta gives structure.
The pepper adds a spicy note.
The coffee introduces depth and roasting.
The coffee-infused extra virgin oil unites everything with its aromatic character.
And the Susumaniello completes the experience in the glass.
It is a recipe that tells of a Puglia capable of respecting tradition, but also of reinterpreting it with creativity.
Four elements, one single idea:
Fettuccine + sweet Caciocavallo from Martina Franca + coffee-infused oil + Susumaniello Lucarella.
