In contrast with our cousins in the north of Italy, the Pugliesi, like other southern Italians, make pasta with flour and water only. This method is used mainly for economic reasons. Traditionally, Pugliesi did not use eggs for the everyday job of making pasta, but rather saved them for other dishes. In my neighbourhood of Corato, a common practice was for housewives to dismantle broken umbrellas so they could use its ‘stretcher’ wire to make fricelli. Thank goodness it didn’t rain very often in Corato!