Puglia is predominantly an agricultural region, producing around 40% of Italy's olive oil and a large proportion of its wine (more than any other region in Italy).
This essentially agricultural nature influences the region's cuisine. Home cooks and restaurant chefs predominantly use the abundant local produce, such as durum wheat, tomatoes, artichokes, fava beans, fennel, peppers, onions, beef and lamb. In terms of pasta, Puglians pride themselves on their orecchiette, little ear-shaped shells that are still produced by hand on a daily basis by many ladies right in front on their doorsteps. It is usually served with tasty sauces such as meat ragu, broccoli and anchovies, mushrooms or turnip tops. The best pasta is made rigorously from durum wheat flour of the Senatore Cappelli wheat cultivar, one of the local products that Slow Food took under its wing. Puglia's rocky interior is ideal for sheep farming and, in terms of meat, lamb reigns supreme, a trait that Puglia shares with its neighboring region, Basilicata. Feast days are characterized by the fragrance of roasting lamb wafting through the streets and most restaurant menus will feature at least a couple of lamb dishes. Puglia's long coastline and fishing tradition bring large quantities of seafood to the table. Red mullet, octopus, anchovies, gilt-head bream, mussels, sea bass and cuttlefish are featured in many recipes at seafront restaurants. Puglia and Basilicata's comforting country cuisine is a pure expression of popular traditions and the natural bounty of the land.
The most widely grown grape variety is Negroamaro (literally black-bitter). Almost exclusively cultivated in Puglia, Negroamaro is used to produce some of the region’s best wines, including Salice Salentino. The title of most famous grape, however, goes to Primitivo, whose wines are generally high in alcohol content and full in body. The hills around Matera give birth to one of the best reds of the South of Italy: the Aglianico del Vulture. The volcanic soil and the aglianico grape tannins make it perfect for aging. White wines count for less than 20% of the overall production but are gradually growing in importance. Local grapes such as Bombino Bianco, Bianco d’Alessano, and Verdeca rub shoulders with international varieties including Chardonnay and Sauvignon to produce some excellent results.
