4 Recipes from Puglia you need to try at home

The cuisine of Apulia is one of the oldest in Italy, and at the same time one of the most authentic, forged by sea, earth, and fire over the centuries. Of course, it's hard to deny that its fame has been enhanced by the widespread dissemination of some of its delicacies—such as “friselle” (the Italian version of tapas), or “orecchiette” a traditional type of pasta, which you can now find in restaurants all around the world. That being said, there are also dozens of traditional recipes that have remained unchanged over time, owing to the curiosity and love for local flavours that have always characterized Apulians. Here are four recipes from Puglia you can easily try at home!

Ciceri e Tria

This recipe is very old, said to date back to the Arab domination of this area. The term tria refers to the type of pasta used and ciceri refers to chickpeas. In ancient times, this dish was prepared to use up old legumes and make room for the new harvest. Ciceri e tria were linked to the spring equinox. The pasta is of a kind of noodle, like a traditional "tagliatella", which is partly boiled and partly fried, combined with stewed chickpeas. Some variations of the recipe also include the use of a small amount of cinnamon. Its main characteristic is the crunchy texture and crisp bite provided by the fried pasta - the "tria" - mixed with the boiled pasta.

4 Recipes from Puglia you need to try at home frisella

The "Frisella"

Frisa, or frisella, is a great classic of Salento tradition and one of the easiest recipes from Puglia. All you need to make it are, unsurprisingly, the "friselle", which today are sold all over the world.

Frisella is a kind of bread made from durum wheat flour, which is baked, cut in half, and then baked again in the oven.

It can be found all over Apulia, but its origins are uncertain: some say it's a Roman recipe, while others claim it was brought by Arabs when they invaded southern Italy. Whatever its origin, frisella is a staple of every Apulian table.

Friselle can be served as an appetizer or snack with olive oil and cherry tomatoes, but - much like tapas - you can go wild when it comes to toppings. Capers, red onions, and olives are particularly popular in Salento, but you can also top your frisella with tuna, virtually any kind of cheese, or cooked and raw vegetables.

Taieddhra

First of all, don't try to pronounce it unless a local is reading this out loud: you will get it wrong. Making taieddhra (or tajeddhra), however, is a lot easier than spelling it.

This typical Apulian dish owes its name to the terracotta pan in which, originally, this typical local recipe was prepared. There are many variations of this recipe. The basic ingredients are rice, potatoes, and zucchini, which are arranged in layers as in a kind of lasagna. The most popular version involves the addition of mussels, but a vegan version with tomatoes and onions is also perfectly acceptable.

4 Recipes from Puglia you need to try at home taieddhra

Turcinieddhri

Vegans and vegetarians: you can stop reading now. The recipe for Turcinieddhri (or Gnummareddhri), besides being extremely difficult for foreigners to pronounce, is not for the faint of heart. This traditional dish is eaten mostly on Easter and Easter Monday in Puglia. Like Scottish haggis, it is a dish made with offal, especially lamb and kid. In ancient times, offal was the type of meat most often consumed by farmers, after the more valuable cuts had been sold. Today in some cultures, offal is considered a delicacy; it is also widely used in many cuisines around the world. These meat rolls are prepared from liver, lungs, kidneys, trachea, spleen, and sweetbreads and then barbecued and usually eaten with a side of vegetables and toasted bread.

Hungry for more recipes from Puglia? We can help...

We hope you found some useful information in this article on the distinct culture and cuisine of Puglia. We think that this region offers an excellent insight into the Italian way of life, and one which we are certain you will enjoy. The best way to experience Apulian cuisine, of course, is by visiting the region, ideally going for restaurants that use local ingredients. Guess what? We have one of those! Interested? Now it's time to go and make all your foodie dreams come true!