Ciciri e Tria
Ciciri e Tria is the iconic dish of Salento: homemade pasta ("tria") topped with chickpeas, with a portion of them fried in oil until crispy. The contrast between the soft pasta and the crispy pasta is the secret of this unique dish.
Traditionally served on March 19th for the Feast of Saint Joseph, it has ancient origins dating back to Arab rule.
Preparation
- 1
Soak the chickpeas for 12 hours. Cook them in water with onion and bay leaf for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- 2
Mix the semolina with water and salt, knead for 10 minutes, let rest for 30 minutes.
- 3
Roll out the pasta very thin (1-2 mm) and cut into irregular strips about 2 cm wide.
- 4
Separate about 1/3 of the raw pasta and fry it in abundant oil until golden: this is the "tria fritta" (fried tria).
- 5
Cook the remaining 2/3 of pasta in the chickpea broth for 5-6 minutes.
- 6
Drain, combine with the chickpeas and their broth, and the crispy fried tria.
- 7
Serve with a generous drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
Chef's Tips
The secret is the contrast of textures: the fried tria must stay crispy, so add it at the last moment. Don't skimp on the oil for frying.