What To Eat

Typical dishes of Salento

CICERI E TRIA

Fresh homemade pasta (half of it is fried, and half is boiled) with chickpeas.

FAVE E CICORIE

Mashed dried broad beans with wild chicory flavored with extra virgin olive oil.

SAGNE 'NCANNULATE

Fresh homemade fettuccine (rolled lasagna) cooked with fresh tomato sauce and strong ricotta cheese.

TAIEDDHRA

Rice, sliced potatoes, zucchini, and mussels baked together in the oven.

PARMIGIANA DI MELANZANE

Deep-fried sliced aubergine filling, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked.

ORECCHIETTE

literally meaning ‘small ears’, is a type of homemade durum wheat pasta usually served with turnip top, or with meatballs and fresh tomato sauce.

CECAMARITI

Cecamariti means husband blinders because husbands are blinded by how delicious this dish is. Made with legumes, vegetables, and fried stale bread.

PUCCIA

It's a made-on-the-spur-of-the-moment flatbread that can be stuffed with various ingredients, made with pizza dough baked in a wood-fired oven.

POLPO ALLA PIGNATA

Octopus cooked with its water, fresh tomatoes, and potatoes, in the “pignata”, the characteristic terracotta container.

TURCINIEDDHRI

Intestine, lamb entrail roulade and grilled.

MUNICEDDHRE

In Salento “municeddhe”(snails) are a traditional dish cooked in various ways, like in Genovese style (sautéed in oil, onion, and wine).

PEZZETTI DI CAVALLO AL SUGO

Bits of colt, horse meat cooked with fresh tomato sausage.

RICCI DI MARE

Sea Urchins. There are several traditional ways to eat them: pasta, slathered on bread alone or with provolone cheese, or with a small spoon to lift out the flesh.

TARALLI

Typical snacks of Puglia. Are small and circular crunchy sweet or savory snacks. Excellent for an aperitif, to eat with cured meats, cheeses and an excellent glass of wine.

FRISELLE (FRISEDDHE)

Round slices of durum wheat bread, friselle have the same shape as fritters without being fried and are served with a topping of tomatoes, seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and salt.

PASTICCIOTTO LECCESE

The sweet Salento pasticciotti leccesi par excellence is made from a short pastry with a custard filling.

RUSTICO LECCESE

Typical street food or even a delicious quick meal, rustic dishes made with excellent puff pastry, filled with bechamel, mozzarella fiordilatte, and tomato.

CAFFÈ LECCESE

Espresso coffee, ice cubes, and almond milk syrup