Although they are considered the “meat of the poor”, the little snails picked up from the dry bushes of the Murgia or from vineyards after the rain are a dainty morsel for gourmets. There are many varieties of them and each one is cooked in a different way in the Puglia cooking.
Ingredients
1 kg of little snails
1 garlic clove
lemon juice
oregano
fresh mint
evo oil
salt
hot chilli (optional)
First of all, when the snails have been just picked up, they must be let purge, the method varies according to the place. Put them in a box containing saw-dust or flour for 4-5 days. Then thay have to be rinsed very well with fresh water. If the snails are in lethargy leave them to soak for a couple of hours in cold water with 2 handfuls of salt and 1 of flour. then rinse and boil them in a large casserole on a moderate flame. As soon as they go out of their shell, turn the heat up, add salt and leave to cook for a few minutes. Put them into a plate keeping some of the cooking water. Put in a dish chopped mint and garlic, a bit of lemon juice, a bit of hilli (optional) evo oil and a garlic clove cut in half. Mix and serve.
