Apulia

From this decidedly Mediterranean climate comes a cuisine full of the flavors of the sun.

In Apulia, pasta is actually eaten during every single meal! When one thinks of Apulian pasta, orecchiette, or "little ears," immediately come to mind. This handmade pasta is made from semolina wheat, flour, and water. Orecchiette are called recchietedde in Bari, where they are very small; chiangarelle in Taranto; and stacchiodde in Brindisi, where they are larger. Standard size orecchiette have a diameter of 1 to 2 inches. The pasta dough is rolled up, the roll is cut into thin slices that are shaped with the tip of a knife or with the thumb into a small, hollow shell. One side is rough because the dough is rolled on the table. Once ready, the pasta should air out for a while in order to dry up. Orecchiette are traditionally served with broccoli raab.

Fish and seafood are the second most popular ingredient: there are sea urchins, tiny cuttlefish, small octopus, an amazing array of fish both common and exclusively local. Rice with mussels is a characteristic dish, as are fresh anchovies in tortiera flavored with bread crumbs and pecorino.

A fava bean and bitter chicory soup, 'ncapriata, is legendary. So are fava bean and artichoke soup; ciceri e tria, homemade tagliatelle with chickpeas; vermicelli alla muddica, tossed with bread crumbs that have been toasted in olive oil; and lagane incannulate, braided homemade lasagna served with a fragrant tomato sauce.

Eggplants grow in abundance in Apulia, and a number of classic dishes sing their praises: from grilled eggplants alla campagnola topped with a heady dressing of olive oil accented by minced garlic, basil, mint, and parsley, to the melanzanata di Sant'Oronzo made in Lecce, an egg-battered and fried version of melanzane alla parmigiana.

Cheese abounds, and one of the most famous local preparations is burrata, a mozzarella that remains spongy and creamy within and soft and elastic outside, best savored the same day it is prepared.

As a reminder of Spanish dominion, there are numerous rice-based specialties called tielle, featuring seasonal ingredients and reflecting the imagination of the cook. Regional desserts like cartellate, cupeta, marzipan, and zeppole grace the tables.

Olive oil is a major product of Apulia and finds its way into most dishes, cooked or not.

Wines of the region are strong and flavorful: Castel del Monte - both red and white - Goia del Colle Rosso, and a number of whites including Locorotondo, Martina Franca, Moscato del Salento, Ostuni, San Severo, Trani, and Primitivo di Manduria.