We’re in Tuglie with 82-year-old Annina, who welcomed us into the cellar of her home. Many years ago, she created a Nativity scene there for Christmas — it was such a hit that she made it permanent. Since then, the cellar has become a beloved gathering place for dinners and celebrations.
Over time, the Nativity inspired Anna and her family to build even more scenes and welcome visitors into their unique and heartwarming space. Her daughter Antonella and son-in-law Ottavio now help keep the tradition alive.
But today, Anna takes center stage as she prepares a local favorite: sagne torte with pork ribs. Here’s the recipe:
For the pasta 300 g semola rimacinata (durum wheat flour) 120–140 ml water
For the sauce 600–700 g pork ribs 700 ml tomato passata 1 large onion 3–4 tablespoons olive oil A handful of basil leaves Salt, to taste
Buon appetito!
My name is Annina, I'm from Tuglia, and I'm going to make a cake design for these beautiful ladies here.
It started when Annina and her husband set up one for customers, as they used to sell their vegetables from their cantina.
One year, Annina's husband didn't get around to taking it down after the festivities, and people started to visit because of it, and now it's an attraction in the area.
Today, Nina is making Sagna Ritorte with a pork ragu.
She starts by making the sauce.
She's using a terracotta pot, as it's best for long, gentle cooking.
She adds some extra virgin olive oil and softens a sliced onion.
These are pork ribs.
She browns them on both sides.
Annina seasons them with sea salt flakes.
She pours in some passata.
Annina picks some fresh basil sprigs and adds these to the sauce.
There is no need to chop the herb, just remove it before serving.
This needs to simmer for a couple of hours.
Annina uses semola rimacinata, or durum wheat flour, to make her dough.
She pours in some water and then kneads it for a good five minutes.
When it's smooth, she pats it into a ball, and then after a few minutes rest, rolls it out to two millimetres thickness.
The sfoglia, or pasta sheet, is thicker than it would be for tagliatelle.
And now for the fun part.
Annina folds the sfoglia in half for easier slicing.
She wants one centimetre wide ribbons.
This is daughter Antonella, by the way.
Holding one end, Annina rolls the ribbon with her flat palm to create a twisted ribbon.
She folds it in half and places it on the tray.
For extra long ribbons, Annina folds them in thirds so they're all about the same length.
This pasta is also called sagna torte or sagna incagnulate in dialect, and it's typical of the Salento region in Puglia.
Antonella joins in.
Nina drops the pasta into simmering water.
She stirs them gently to stop them from sticking.
The sagna torte take about five minutes to cook.
Antonella drains them.
The sugo, meanwhile, needs about another hour's simmer, so Nina has already made some.
Usually this is a Sunday lunch dish, and the ribs are served separately as the main course.
Nina puts them to one side.
She spoons the tomato sauce over the drained pasta and then tosses it.
This is a gentler way than stirring of mixing in the sauce.
She dishes up a plate for herself and for me, sprinkling some grated pecorino over the pasta.
All right.
Delicious.
Good, great.
It's delicious.
And then Nina treats us to a song.
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and come back next week when Maria makes pasta with potatoes.
