Do you know the food traditions of Lucania in southern Italy typical of Ferragosto? If you have no idea, it means we will discover them together! Lucanian recipes are numerous, as it is a land that has perfectly preserved its past. In Basilicata, as in many other places in southern Italy, history and traditions are more alive than ever, thanks especially to the ability of grandmothers to pass on precious teachings to daughters and granddaughters. Here are some typical Lucanian and non-Lucanian dishes that still delight both young and old today!
Typical dishes of southern Italy at Ferragosto: what are they?
Campania, located a stone’s throw from Basilicata, with which it shares several traditions, has an infinity of typical recipes, also very different from each other, due to the distances and the variety of places and environments it hides. In Naples, on August 15, the famous macaroni pizza, a cross between a first course and an omelet, reigns supreme. Tasty, but above all easy to take with you during excursions and trips to the sea, it is a unique dish, to be enjoyed strictly cut into slices, just like a real pizza! On the Amalfi Coast, on the other hand, alongside typical seafood dishes, there are zitoni with sauce, seasoned with dried tomatoes and capers. There is also a Calabrian version of zitoni, baked and even richer. It is called pasta chjina and includes the addition of meatballs, boiled eggs, cheese, and sausage. In Puglia, on the other hand, few are willing to give up a cornerstone of Mediterranean cuisine, namely rice, potatoes, and mussels.
Lucanian food: a wonder you can’t resist!
In neighboring Basilicata, the absolute protagonist of the tables during Ferragosto is lamb.
Lucanian lamb is prepared with potatoes, cherry tomatoes, onions, grated pecorino cheese, and breadcrumbs and is one of the most loved dishes of Lucanian cuisine by locals and tourists. But it doesn’t end there, because on Lucanian tables you might also find the
classic cod with cruschi peppers (the famous sweet crunchy peppers, initially prepared in the Senise area, then spread throughout the region),
fried lampascioni (made with the bulb of a plant that grows in Mediterranean regions and especially in Puglia and Basilicata), pork with chili pepper, cooked bread, panzerotti (both savory and sweet), lagane with chickpeas and the spectacular cutturiddu of sheep, typical of the Alta Murgia and neighboring areas. If this article has made you hungry and you intend to taste some of the many Lucanian products, take a look at the wide selection available on www.sudrise.it!
