FOODS OF BASILICATA

The kitchen of Basilicata belongs to the Mediterranean

diet. As such, the typical products are: pasta, cheese,
beef, lamb and goat, olive oil, wine, vegetables.
Characteristic is the vino cotto used in many parts of
the region.

BREAD

Bread is the staple food of the basic food of the region.

It’s mixed with wheat flour, yeast and water. It can have
different form and often is baked in ovens. There are
many different kinds of bread: from one kilogram up to
three kilograms, round or oval or bun, focaccia,
sandwiches ( the sandwiches rosette or oil). In some
areas is preparing an initial typical dish of bread, the
so-called"bread baked”.

THE PASTA

The paste is prepared mixing wheat flour and water (sometimes eggs) and left to dry
for a couple of hours. There are several types of pasta. Typical are the cavatelli, like
gnocchi, sunken to a finger, two, three or four, and served with beans or tomato sauce
with fresh basil and with the addition of cacioricotta or asparagus, and the orecchiette
usually seasoned with tomato sauce, are also the famous fusilli so called because are
been worked with an iron thin. Lagana like the noodles but larger and thicker, are
prepared with chickpeas flavored with garlic, chilli or cotich of pig. Other type of
pastas are cooked with legumes (lentils, beans, peas, chick peas, beans), with
vegetables or tomato sauce

OTHER PRODUCTS

The hot pepper is used mostly in winter, in summer you prefer the cool, dry those
peppers fried in oil and plenty to make them crispy, with scrambled eggs, or are used
to winter boiled with salt cod.
Very special are the Lampascioni, wild onions by taste bitter that are eaten cooked
with raw oil, or fried in batter.

SALUMI AND CHEESE

The Basilicata is famous for sausages and soppressata.

The sausage is prepared as follows: the pork is chopped
with a knife, seasoned with salt, chili powder and fennel
seeds, and left to dry in places with a fireplace always
switched.
For soppressata you choose the most valuable meat of pork
with little fat, add pepper , put under a weight for a
few days to remove the empty air and left to dry. Typical
of the region are also other derivatives from pork as
ham, capocollo, bacon.

Dairy production are very common in this region and so

there are a lot of cheese and dairy products. The best
cheeses are those derived from bovine milk and
ovicaprino. Typical dairy products are Caciocavallo, the
butyrate, the scamorza and mozzarella. Mostly used is
also the pecorino cheese. Pecorino cheese is the result
of an excellent sheep milk rich in nutrients and aromatic
essences. It’s recommended consumer Pecorino with a
seasoning that varies from 3 to six months.
Aglianico del Vulture

The Vulture is the cradle of the famous red wine

Aglianico del Vulture, produced by clusters of Aglianico
and certified DOC (Denomination of Origin). The Aglianico
is one of the best Italian wines
The wine Aglianico del Vulture has a ruby red garnet,
fragrant scent and winy, with hint of strawberry and
raspberry; flavor of dry, fruity and harmonious. 11,5-13%
alcohol. The Aglianico is considered 'old' after at least
3 years and 'reserve' after at least 5 years of aging in
barrels. Excellent with meat and roasts.
 Olive oil

Olive oil is cultivated from the time of Magna Greece.

The oil is obtained from squeezing olives Lucanian of
high quality and it’s always at the base of each plate.

The traditional sweets for Christmas and Easter are:

• I taralli covered with icing sugar
• calzoncelli filled with the cream of chickpeas and
chestnuts
• the pancakes with sugar and honey
• tarts with pudding (blood pork, cocoa, raisins, spices)

• cookies with almonds and cooked wine.