The bombette is an unforgettable street food from Puglia. Once you've tasted it, you'll crave it for years to come. Comprising pork neck – capocollo di maiale aka coppa or lonza – stuffed with cheese, salt, and pepper, the bombette is then rolled up and browned in a pan.
These deliciously meaty, gooey fritters hail from the Itria Valley, located south of Bari at the top part of Italy's “heel.” They're mostly associated with Martina Franca, a village that's equally famous for its magnificent baroque architecture. The name, unsurprisingly, refers to a “bomb” – as eaters experience an "explosion" of flavor as soon as they bite into it.
The cheese
The bombette packs lots of cheese, and if you're tasting one straight at the source, not just any cheese. The Apuluians make this using caciocavallo podolico del Gargano, an amphora-shaped caciocavallo that's topped with a small ball. This variety is made from the milk of Podolica cows, a rare breed with a grey coat and longhorns that are milked once a day. They live all year round in the open air – during summer, the cows graze in mountain pastures that stand more than 4,000 feet (1,200 meters) in altitude, and they descend to the valley during winter. Their milk is rich and fat, characteristics that manifest in the cheese, which has a straw-yellow hue and a semi-hard, compact texture.
If you can't find this particular type of caciocavallo, any caciocavallo will do – better if from Puglia.
Bombette Recipe
Ingredients:
1½ lb. pork capocollo
5 oz. caciocavallo cheese
parsley
salt
pepper
4 oz. sliced pancetta (or bacon)
extra-virgin olive oil
breadcrumbs
Method
Use a meat tenderizer to gently pound the meat. Season each slice with a pinch of salt and pepper, then top with a slice of pancetta and two slices of caciocavallo. Roll the meat in a tightly wrapped roll, closing the ends toward the inside in order to prevent the cheese from spilling out while cooking. Mix the breadcrumbs and chopped parsley, a pinch of salt, then wrap each roll in the mixture.
To sauté, it's preferable to use a non-stick pan over very low heat with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. If baking, use a static oven at 300°F (150°C).
While cooking, turn the bombette often to make sure it cooks evenly – it will take about 12-13 minutes. Once cooked, add a few flakes of salt before serving. You can serve the bombette with a side of eggplant caponatina; broccoli rabe sautéed with garlic, oil, and red chili pepper; a purée of fava beans and chicory; a salad of fennel and arugula; or baked potatoes seasoned with salt and rosemary.