03. Bufaletta of Pontinia
History
Bufaletta di Pontinia is a braised meat stew, to which aromatic herbs typical of the coastline are added, closely linked to the historical breeding of buffaloes in the Agro Pontino. The presence of these animals in the plains has an ancient but controversial history: according to some scholars, it was the Normans who spread their presence in southern Italy, while others claim the buffalo's native origin, proven by the discovery of fossils in the Roman countryside. Later, Goethe himself, in his Journey to Italy, describes encounters with these animals 'with the appearance of hippopotamuses and wild, bloodshot eyes'. Thanks to their extraordinary qualities of physical resistance, buffaloes had to adapt perfectly and better than others to the marshy environment of the Agro Pontino, so much so that they were used to carry out the long reclamation work during the twenty-year fascist period. Buffalo were also used as a source of sustenance thanks to their milk and meat. The latter, in particular, came from the youngest specimens, called annutoli, generally male as they were of little use for breeding. Today, buffalo breeding has become a strong point in the Pontine territory, also thanks to the work of enhancing agrifood excellence and rediscovering culinary traditions. The Bufaletta in particular represents the emblem of Pontinia's history: farming families prepare the recipe on feast days and everyone, in August, celebrates it with a festival entirely dedicated to it.
The product
Bufaletta di Pontinia has an uneven colour ranging from the brown of the meat to the orange/green of the spices. The high olfactory intensity is characterised by vegetal notes of tomato and Itrana olives, and spicy notes of pepper, chilli pepper, garlic and aromatic herbs (sage and rosemary) combined with hints of marinating in white wine. The taste is harmoniously salty and savoury with a slight spicy note. Good aromatic persistence.
"Pontinia: Bun di bufaletta alla cacciatora" on the Campana brothers' Ape EATinerante
"The Agro pontino on three wheels. Thanks to the bee's design, our origins and the raw materials that come on board with us! Street food and more!". This is the slogan of brothers Emanuele and Gianmarco Campana, young restaurateurs from Pontinia who have launched a highly original project of travelling cuisine: Campana Street Food.
In fact, to promote their gastronomic products, they decided to use the historic Ape, called EATinerante, as a means of transport. "So we took the bufaletta around Rome, but also in northern Italy, in cities such as Turin or inside fairs and festivals such as, for example, the Salone del Mobile in Milan. The aim of the two entrepreneurs is to publicise the dishes of Agro Pontino: 'not only the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana PDO, now known to everyone, but also the Bufaletta, little known but extremely appreciable. A dish made from prized meat - obtained from male animals, although the name Bufaletta is feminine, a mystery... - with remarkable organoleptic properties'. The dishes prepared on board the food track - whose success is also due to events such as 'Lady Bu, La Bufala dalla testa alla coda', the festival dedicated to the Bufaletta - respect the seasonality of the products and of course the traditional recipes of the area. First of all: the 'Pontinia: Bun di bufaletta alla cacciatora'!
