Flavours of Apulia

Agriturismi, masserie and kiosks near the sea in Apulia tasting genuine products and fresh fish

Apulia means simplicity and genuineness, rural culture and fishermen’s wisdom, land and sea. And through the centuries the Apulians draw their means of subsistence from sea and land. Nowadays the genuine products of the countryside of Puglia and the fresh fish are still the strength of the cuisine of Apulia. Simple products but full of taste thanks to the sun, the fresh air and the fertile ground, made more precious by two goods symbol of Apulia: oil (the yellow gold of Apulia) and wine (the red gold of Apulia). Many agriturismo and Masseria in Apulia have as target the increasing of value of the local products and the simple but qualified cuisine, focusing on material all rigorously grown in their own garden. For example, Agriturismo Masseria Le Stanzie in Supersano, agriturismo Masseria Melcarne in the north of Salento, agriturismo Gli ulivi e l’agriturismo Masseria Il Mito in Tricase, in the South of Salento, ”Orto dei sapori” in Orsara di Apulia, Masseria Barbera in Minervino Murge.

To remain in the field of zero Kilometer cuisine, in Valle d’Itria among the province of Bari, Brindisi and Taranto, the famous “Fornelli”, butchery with trattoria, offer excellent meat to be chosen at the desk and simultaneously grilled: one of the most ancient gastronomical traditions of the Apulian territory. In Apulia of masserie and trulli “Da Tamborrino” in Laterza you can taste veal sausages and lamb liver, at “Mimmo e Valeria” in Santeramo in Colle horse meat and donkey chops, at “L’ Arrosteria del Vicoletto” and “Trattoria del centro storico da Mimmo” in Cisternino the famous “bombette”. In Salento, in Specchia, “La Bettola di Pericle” proposes rural starters, mixed grills, sausages and horse meat.

Knowledge and care of local traditions is the main scope of educational Masserie, always increasing in number in Apulia, where people may assist at the procedures of preparation of cheeses and ricotta, at milking the cows, the production of conserves, jam and products under oil, the preparation of homemade pasta. From Gargano to Salento, the best agriturismi of Apulia, the modern educational Masserie and some agriturismo offer the chance to partecipate to the collection of season fruits and directly and in advance taste the good products of the land of Apulia.

While agriturismi and masserie in Apulia offer the typical rural cuisine, on the coast people may order in kiosks and sheds fresh fish, shellfishes and sea urchins to be tasted at reasonable prices. At Gallipoli “Scapricciatiello and “La Maruzzela” and at San Gregorio, (next to Santa Maria di Leuca) “Il Bar del Moro”. These are all simple and Spartan restaurants on the sea which offer fresh fish for excellent prices. In the North of Apulia said sheds are named Trabucchi, pile- dwelling where a large fishnet is launched in the sea: at Punta San Nicola “Al Trabucco da Mimì”, at Mattinata “il Giardino di Monsignore”.

Fish in Apulia may be eaten raw for tradition, just fished from the sea, completely alive. Various Apulian trattorias, expecially in the area of Bari propose squids, cuttlefishes (called allievi from people in Apulia), scampi, squids, black mussels and many other shellfishes, all rigorously raw. Most famous “Tuccino” and “Grotta Palazzese” at Polignano a mare, historical “Da Nicola” at Torre a Mare.

Agriturismi, masserie and trattorias associate to the cuisine of Apulia red wines produced locally. Nowadays Apulia, with the strength of two nobles grapevines (negramaro and primitivo), used in the past to obtain cutting grapes, offers excellent monograpes wines. From the meeting of those precious Apulian grapes excellent wines as Salice Salentino DOC, Copertino DOC or Salento IGT were born. The production of prestigious labels is constantly increasing from the main canteens of Apulia, particularly in Salento. Masseria Monaci at Copertino, Leone de Castris and Cantele at Salice Salentino, Masseria L’astore at Cutrofiano. Always in Salento, Castel di Salve at Depressa di Tricase, Masseria del Sigillo at Guagnano, produce a great quantity of wines today fully appreciated in Italy and abroad too.