angelo

Puglia’s “orecchiette” pasta, now known throughout the world, are a true symbol of the cuisine of this region. They look like small white and rough domes, with a thicker edge and a thinner centre: they really look like small ears! “Orecchio” means ear in English.

The origin of Apulian orecchiette is still uncertain today and there are many theories on how and where they were born. The oldest would date back to the ancient Romans and would see a type of round-shaped pasta with a sunken centre, as the ancestors of orecchiette. This pasta, which Varro also talks about, was prepared with flour, water and cheese.

The second hypothesis, however, would trace the typical Apulian pasta to a French, specifically Provençal, recipe. In fact, it may have been the Angevins who brought “crosets” to Puglia, a round-shaped pasta with a hollow center that was already consumed in the Middle Ages.

Finally, a third theory sees the orecchiette descending from a traditional Jewish dessert, the Ears of Haman. In fact, between the 12th and 13th centuries, the Jewish community was strongly present in the region and especially in Trani.

Then there is the tradition that sees the shape of the roof of the trulli as the inspiration of this typical pasta shape. What is certain is that today orecchiette are a symbol of Puglia in the world and there can be no holiday in Puglia without a dish of it.

I offer my guests the opportunity to learn how to make the orecchiette in a cooking class run by a housewife still carry on the tradition of homemade pasta. Besides we can taste them in restaurants offering them in classic versions or in tasty innovative recipes. Check out our week tour of Puglia for more details.

Pasta with ragù is the typical Sunday dish in Puglia. During the colder months, it’s even possible to smell the irresistible smell, walking on a Sunday morning through the alleys of the Apulian cities. Originally it was the main Sunday dish as the sauce was used to season the pasta and the meat consumed as a second course.

From an early age we are used to spending Sundays with the family. As a child, I remember it as a special day since at the end of a long work or school week, it brought the whole family to grandmother’s house around a long lunch table. Every one had the habit of bringing something, be it a bottle of wine, cheese or some pastries. But the main course was the one that grandmother cooked, the famous pasta dish with meat sauce. She, with joy in her heart at seeing the whole family reunited, woke up early in the morning to prepare a tasty lunch.

The preparation is simple and the result is really tasty and inviting, even if the cooking is quite long. We start with braciole: meat rolls stuffed with parsley, garlic and parmesan. Pan sear the braciole in olive oil over high heat briefly, just enough to brown the outside of the roll. You may skip this step, but it definitely adds flavor to the dish. Then, into the sauce the meat goes! This is the part that takes a good amount of time but it is worth the wait. It’s better if you use the typical homemade preserve, which becomes so tasty that it can be used to season pasta: orecchiette are almost always the chosen ones.

Pasta with ragù is the typical Sunday dish in the North as in the South of Italy. As “ragù” the most famous is Bolognese ragù, a classic recipe from the Emilian tradition. Anyway here in the South when we say ragù we mean the Neapolitan ragù, made with whole meat and not minced meat.

Do you want a taste of typical food of Puglia, combined with a guided tour ? Have a look at our food tour itineraries, price, and description.

To truly understand the culture of a destination you must taste the local flavors. Puglia has one of Italy’s most desired cuisines and you can learn what you need to try on your visit.  Are you curious to know what to taste ? Here it is a list of typical food of Puglia you can’t miss.

BURRATA. It is probably the most appreciated Apulian cheese in the world. A bag of mozzarella dough jealously encloses the stracciatella inside, a mixture of cream and shredded mozzarella.

ALTAMURA BREAD. A sourdough bread that stays fresh for one week made of semolina and varieties of durum wheat grown locally. Since 2013 it has been a DOP product.

MEAT BOMBS. Apulian street food “bombette” are small pork rolls filled with cheese, salt and pepper.

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. The varieties of olives present in Puglia have an incomparable quality for the production of extra virgin oil. The most well known are the Ogliarola, Coratina and Peranzana.

ORECCHIETTE. Apulian pasta differs from other regions’ both in size and, often, in raw material. “Orecchiette” are very particular and the original ones are found only in this region. Furthermore the burnt wheat ones are a made with peculiar “burnt” grain used to make dough tasty and characteristic.

PANZEROTTO. It is a shell of fried dough, which following skilful processing takes the shape of a crescent. The classic filling includes tomato and mozzarella, but there are many tasty variations. Made of strictly local ingredients, it has become an ambassador of Apulian flavors in the world: wheat, mozzarella, olive oil and tomato.

In addition, there are delicious fine wines in this region. So are you ready to taste the typical food of Puglia ? Have a look at our food tour itinerary for further information.