Puglia by the Plate
Explore the booming Italian region through six of its most iconic foods.
By Eve Thomas
Italians are fiercely loyal to their local cuisine, and Puglians are no exception. As Italy’s southern heel rises in popularity among international travellers, one of the best ways to explore its coasts and countryside is through food. Tours, museums and cooking lessons offer insight into Puglia‘s history, climate and culture.
Cheese
To understand Puglia, you must visit a masseria – the stunning farmhouse complexes built for sustenance and protection in the 16th century, and revived as agritourism destinations. They mix accommodation (from rustic to luxurious) and production of goods like oil, wine, and citrus, often letting guests get involved. At Masseria Cappella’s working dairy farm, you can try your hand at stretching mozzarella and stuffing it with stracciatella (for burrata), or learn how to make and bake taralli crackers – a staple at every good aperitivo.
Pasta
For the best photo ops of Puglia’s famous ear-shaped pasta, head to Strada delle Orecchiette in Bari where nonnas shape it along the street. But for a hands-on experience, book a workshop at Casa Mama in the tiny village of Ginosa. You’ll knead and roll dough (under “Mama’s” watchful eye), then work up an appetite on a tour of the ancient cave village. Return to a feast of simple, local dishes while Pavarotti records play. It doesn’t get more authentic than this.
Bread
Puglia’s perfectly pillowy focaccia has made its mark worldwide, but traditional sourdough “Pane di Laterza” is still unknown to global gourmets. Laterza Bread Experience tours take visitors everywhere from a humming flour mill to historic olive groves that overlook deep canyons and provide wood for antique bread ovens. End the day at a local speakeasy where you’ll snack on bread-based dishes like cialledda salad and tomato-topped frisella.
Wine
Italian wine is hardly a secret, but Puglia’s Primitivo is still unknown to many. The high-alcohol grapes used to get exported to the rest of Europe to fortify other wines, but are today prized for their bold, full-bodied flavour. Head to Manduria’s Museo della Civiltà del Vino Primitivo and you’ll find not just tastings and a shop, but a museum built into the stone wine tanks in the basement, where antique farm tools and domestic objects like pots and looms recreate scenes from the past.
Pastry
The legend behind oval, custard-filled pasticciotto lecessi pastries dates back to the 1700s, when a chef used leftover ingredients to make them – a hit with families that couldn’t afford full-sized cakes. Today, you can find them throughout Puglia, but for the most authentic taste, try their hometown of Galatina. The best can be found in cafés around the Basilica di Santa Caterina d’Alessandria, a stunning mix of Romanesque, Gothic, Norman and Byzantine architecture.
Coffee
In the seaside town of Polignano a Mare, find tourists and locals brushing elbows at the café Super Mago del Gelo Mario Campanella. Skip the cappuccino and try their famed “caffè speciale,” which mixes espresso with amaretto, cream, and a generous slice of lemon peel. There’s also a dizzying menu of iced desserts, including a sundae tribute to “Volare” singer Domenico Modugno, who was born a few blocks away.