Winter is here, and we're not just talking about the weather. After a long and sunny summer, we're already craving the warm and cosy feeling that Apulian cuisine brings to this season. In Apulia, winter means lots of wonderful recipes and flavours to enjoy during this period. Here are three winter recipes from Puglia you should try this year.

Pittule

To be fair, there is no season in which you will NOT find these delicious fritters in the menu of a typical Apulian restaurant, but they are traditionally associated with the festive season, and we can safely say they are hearty enough to count among Apulia's classical winter recipes.

Pettole can be eaten on their own as a snack before dinner or as an appetizer, but they're also commonly served alongside other entrees. Pittule are very easy to prepare; they are basically deep-fried balls of leavened dough, which can be simply seasoned with salt or enriched by adding olives, onion, tomato, or capers.

Pittule are the perfect entree to ruin your appetite: you will not be able to stop eating them and, by the time the main course arrives, you will feel deliciously full and ready for a long nap. Don't say we didn't warn you.

Bombette pugliesi

This may be a bold claim, but I'm pretty sure that Pugliese 'bombette pugliesi' are the most underrated thing ever to come out of Apulia. I mean, look at them! They're just so… cute! And how can you resist the adorable name? Depending on how you choose to interpret it, it can translate as "bowler hats" or "little bombs". They are veal rolls wrapped in bacon and filled with ‘caciocavallo cheese’. The traditional recipe requires cooking over embers rather than in an oven.

Mouth-watering doesn't even begin to cover it. If this is to be the main course of your meal, make sure you don't fill yourself up with pittule...

Focaccia Barese

The origin of this focaccia can be traced back to the area around Bari, later spreading to other Apulian provinces, where it is baked every morning in bakeries. Warm and soft, with a crunchy finish, it may look like a particularly thick pizza, but the dough is quite different, and it keeps fresh far longer. It is perfect as a main dish or snack at any time of day. In Puglia, there are many topping variations, but the traditional version with cherry tomatoes and olives is by far the most popular and widespread.

It is not uncommon to find it diced or sliced as part of a "cool" aperitivo, alongside olives or peanuts.

Curious about Apulian cuisine?

Heading to Italy this winter? The Aia is offering great culinary experiences, with classes led by a professional chef that will teach you how to choose fresh ingredients and prepare traditional winter recipes from the region of Puglia.

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