CORSICA
on a chestnut leaf. The shop’s owner Edmond Casanova is particularly proud of these. “They were invented by my great-grandfather in the 1800s,” he says. “In those days, there weren’t any baking trays, so they used the chestnut leaf to put it in and take it out of the oven; they can stand the heat without burning. “It’s something you’ll only find in Corte.”
SHADES OF HONE Y JARDIN D E S ABE I LLE S
Explore the Corsican countryside and you can’t help but breathe in the incredible aroma that comes from the maquis, the fragrant shrubland that clings to its hillsides. Herbs such as nepeta, myrtle bushes and the yellow immortelle flower are among many plants that attract the island’s bees. The honey they produce is complex and varied, as I discover at the Jardin des Abeilles, a farm in the hills inland from Corsica’s capital, Ajaccio. “There are only two types of honey in
France that hold an AOP protected origin,” explains owner Tiphaine Pietri. “One is the honey from the pine trees of the Vosges mountains [in eastern France], and the other is Corsican honey. “There are very strict rules about where
the hives can be placed; they can’t be near any agriculture, even organic farming, and they have to be close to wild plants. There isn’t really any intensive agriculture near here — the bees circulate in a radius of 3km around the hives.” Having explored the garden, with its demonstration hive, and checked out the information trail that weaves through woodland leading down to a gushing river, it’s time to try some of the six different types of Corsican honey that share the AOP label. The tasting starts with the gentlest flavour,
the miel de printemps, for which the bees collect nectar from flowering clementine trees and asphodel flowers in April. The summery, amber-hued miel de maquis d’été is fruity and aromatic, but the miel de meillat du maquis (honeydew of the maquis) is a complete contrast: a dark honey with a woody, malty, slightly bitter flavour, due to it being made with nectar from oak and eucalyptus, rather than flowers — it’s also gathered in the summer months when the maquis is dry. We finish with the chestnut honey, miel de
châtaigneraie, which is rich and caramel-like, followed by the autumn honey, miel de maquis d’automne, which is similar but a little less sweet — better paired with cheese than served at breakfast. For all the clear differences between the
main types of honey, Tiphaine points out that flavours can also vary from jar to jar. “We have visitors who might prefer this honey to that made in another valley,” she explains. “Every place will have different plants; each year will have its own flavours. It’s just like wine.”
lejardindesabeilles.com
Rock lobster ravioli From British chef Simon Andrews, whose restaurant A Nepita is one of Ajaccio’s best. SERVES: 6 TAKES: 1 HR
INGREDIENTS 200g ‘00’ strong flour 3 eggs bouquet garni 1 rock lobster (around 600g)
200g peeled raw prawns
½ lemon, juiced 550ml double cream cornflour, for sprinkling 1 onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 stick of celery, diced
METHOD Put the flour, 2 of the eggs and
a pinch of salt in a bowl and knead until the dough has a nice, smooth texture. Wrap in cling film and leave to rest in the fridge for 30 mins. Bring a large pan of water to the
boil with a pinch of salt and the bouquet garni. Add the lobster and cook for around 8 mins. Once cooked, remove the lobster from the pan and transfer to a large pot of iced water. Cut the lobster in two lengthways.
Use a fork to scoop out all the white flesh. Reserve the head and tail to use in the bisque sauce. Blitz the prawns, most of the
lemon juice (reserving a few drops), remaining egg, 50ml of the double cream and a pinch each of salt and pepper in a blender until smooth. Cut the white lobster flesh into
small cubes and stir into the prawn mixture. Put in the fridge while you roll out the pasta dough. Sprinkle a piece of parchment
paper with cornflour. Unwrap the pasta dough and roll it out as thin as possible. Cut out 12 round discs, each with a diameter of 10cm. Remove the prawn filling from the
olive oil, for frying 1 tbsp tomato puree 100ml cognac/brandy sautéed courgettes, to serve (optional)
fridge and place a large spoonful of the mixture into the middle of one pastry disc, leaving a 3cm gap around the edge. Use a pastry brush to dampen the edges with water, then place another pasta disc on top. Firmly press around the edge to remove any air bubbles, then set the parcel on the floured parchment paper. Repeat with the remaining dough discs and filling. To make the bisque sauce, sauté
the onion, carrot and celery in a little olive oil. Chop the lobster head and tail, add to the pan and sauté until golden-brown, then stir in the tomato puree. Pour in the cognac and carefully ignite to flambé. Add the remaining double cream and allow to simmer for 20 mins. Pass the mixture through a fine
sieve. Season with salt and pepper and add a few drops of lemon juice. Once you’re ready to serve, boil a
large pan of salted water and cook the ravioli for 3 mins. Blitz the bisque sauce with a hand-held blender, then divide between six bowls. Add a raviolo to each and drizzle with olive oil. Serve alongside sautéed courgettes, if you like.
NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL
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