Typical Food in Puglia

A traditional Puglian panzerotto – which must be fried – is a classic snack to be eaten on the street. The classic recipe with tomato and mozzarella has been passed from generation to generation. But you can find innovative and modern versions in bakeries, such as scamorza and spicy salami, tuna and onion, and cime di rapa. 

If you find yourself near Lecce, the best Street Food around is the rustico leccese. This is a delicious and crunchy snack made of pasty and stuffed with tomato, mozzarella, and bechemel sauce. Perfect for any time of the day, this Salentino specialty goes perfectly with a cold coffee with almond milk, or even a cold beer! 

As an alternative to the meatballs, how about a cheese and cured meat board, with capocollo di Martina Franca, caciocavallo “di grotto”, burrata and nodini. These are a real showcase of authentic Puglian products! 

Capocollo di Martina Franca comes from the Valle d’Itria area. Its name comes from the type of cut of meat (coppa) found near the neck. This cured meat is produced in various stages. It is steeped in salt for 15-20 days, then it is bathed in wine and herbs, then it is placed inside a natural casing and wrapped in linen or cotton and smoked (giving it is unmistakable flavour), and is finally aged for about six months. This cured meat has an aromatic and strong taste that everyone loves. 

Caciocavallo “di grotta” has this name because it is aged in a real cave (grotta) for about 60 days. This gives the cheese its typical dark yellow colour with brown spots, as well as an intense flavour that is slightly spicy. 

This is traditionally served on Sundays, and brings to mind the image of grandmothers cooking in the kitchen in the early morning, with the sauce simmering over a low heat that creates the most delicious smell in the whole house. They are also known as purpetti e brascioli in the Puglian dialect. This dish also can be the first course for the next day, but also a second course! In our ideal menu it is an antipasto, just meatballs in a rich sauce made of tomato passata, and slices of beef or horse meat rolled around a small bit of pecorino cheese, some parsley, and garlic. The sauce is left to cook on a low heat for a few hours and then the fried meatballs are added. The meatballs can also be served as a tasty second course, whilst the sauce itself is ideal with orecchiette pasta. 

This dish uses the meat sauce from the antipasti mentioned above, although it has a slightly different preparation method. It’s a mixture of beef, pork capocollo, and pancetta brought together in a tomato sauce and left to cook on a low heat for at least two hours. This sauce goes with orecchiette pasta, one of the most famous Puglian foods. This traditional type of fresh pasta is made from water, semolina, and a bit of salt. It is still made by hand today, by artisan with a lot of skill and patience. You can see this in Bari, in the Via delle Orecchiette. Local women sit at tables and create hundreds of orecchiette a day. Visiting this street is like taking a step back in time.

A glass of Nero di Trioa or Negroamao red wine goes perfectly with these orecchiette. These two Puglian red wines have full bodies and are great matches for many Puglian dishes. 

If you love fish, this is a traditional Puglia dish for you! Tiella Barese is made of rice, potatoes, and mussels. It’s an ancient recipe putting together the raw ingredients in a pot, preferably a terracotta or ceramic version. First line the pot with a layer of finely sliced potatoes, then the opened mussels, then the rice, and then another final layer of potatoes. Cover everything with parsley, lots of pecorino cheese, and a few little tomatoes. Cook for about an hour and you’ll have a tiella that has a unique and delicious flavour. 

Bianco d’Alessano is an indigenous grape that creates a wonderful white wine that goes fantastically with the Teilla Barese, and in general with any fish in Puglia. It is a floral and fruity flavour and also goes well with delicate cheeses. 

Puglian food is full of plates that are made from vegetables. These recipes have ancient origins and are linked to farmers and a time when there were only a few ingredients. Fava bean puree with chicory and fried friggitelli is one of these recipes. Despite the humble ingredients, this is a tasty – and very healthy – dish that uses legumes and vegetables that are easy to digest and have anti-inflammatory properties. The fava beans are cooked and made into a puree, whilst the chicory is boiled. The fried friggitello is an extra touch that elevates this dish to something really special, that also goes well with a slice of toasted bread.

Pick a Locorotondo DOP wine to go with this dish. This is a wine from central Puglia, close to Locorotondo, Cisternino, and Fasano. It has a dry taste with a slightly bitter aftertaste and a spiced nose.  

These specialties are usually cooked on a grill, and are the pinnacle of taste for meat lovers. If you find yourself in the Valle d’Itria in central Puglia – especially Martina Franca, Cisternino, or Locorotondo – you will certainly find this mix of meats. Bombette are delicious rolls of pork meat filled with a slice of caciocavallo cheese. Gnumereddi are rolls of lamb intestines, and salsiccia di Martina Franca are sausages made from beef and pork. In Bari you might also find zampina, a sausage made from lamb, pork, and beef that is served with a sauce made from tomato and pecorino cheese. 

These treats are also served as Street Food form the local “Fornelli pugliese”. These are historic butcher shops that turn into informal barbecue spots in the evening. Simple, with just a few tables and chairs outside, you can pick and choose the meats you want to be cooked on order. 

Try a bottle of Malvasia Nera with these. This full-bodied wine is ideal for strong flavours like roasted meats and aged chesses. Another great wine choice is Sussumaniello, a well-structured and delicious wine made of indigenous grapes that are only grown in Puglia. 

Lamb cannot be omitted from a Puglian menu, especially at Easter. There are many recipes in Puglia with lamb as the star of the show (with lampascioni, or artichokes, or peas), but the most traditional is roast lamb with potatoes. The lamb is first seared in a pan with onions, rosemary, and salt and pepper. It Is then simmered in some white wine and then transferred into a terracotta casserole dish with diced potatoes and garlic, and placed in the oven. At the last moment a dusting of pecorino cheese and breadcrumbs is added, creating a delicious crust on top that makes this rich and fragrant dish even more appealing. 

Primitivo di Manduria is one of south Puglia’s wines that goes the best with this dish. An interesting fact about the name of this red wine: the grapes that make this wine are called “primitive” because the ripen earlier than others, between the end of August and the start of September. 

Almond pastries and deserts are integral in traditional Puglian gastronomy, with origins dating back to the Arab domination of the region. There are many different varieties depending on the area, some with honey, or chocolate, or jam, or even flavoured with local liquors. They are traditionally made for Christmas and Easter, but they have also become something to give to guests at other celebrations like weddings. 

At the end of a meal, a Moscato di Trani DOC sweet wine is the perfect companion for these desserts. Or choose a Malvasia Bianca which also goes well with vegetables, fried sea food, and blue cheeses. 

Known as Carteddate in the local dialect, Cartellate are from Foggia and Gargano and are traditionally eaten at Christmas time. They are irresistible thanks to their unique flavour, crunchy bite, and pretty flower-like form. The pastry is made from flour, oil, white wine, salt, and water. It is rolled out on a pastry board and cut into strips with a serrated blade. These strips are then wrapped around themselves to create the distinctive shape. After being fried, they are then covered in honey or vincotto. As a final touch hazelnuts, almonds, or chocolate are sprinkled on top.