FOLKLORE

Immerse yourself, our culture and traditions with a rich programme of events that take place all through the year: the "Presepi Viventi" at Christmas, the rites of the Holy Week in Taranto; the very long Carnevale of Putignano, the Carnevale in Massafra, the performance of the Disfida of Barletta, the historical parade of the Torneo dei Rioni in Oria, the sea parade on boats of San Cataldo in Taranto, the La Caravella Fair of S. Nicola in Bari, the summer village fairs, etc. Among the main cultural events are the Festival della Valle d'Itria and the Annual Meeting on Magna Graecia.
Puglia is a land full of traditions and religious feasts, which bring together the main expression of its folklore. The patron saints' days are celebrated in each settlement with processions, torchlight parades, and fireworks, against a backdrop of market stalls.
Then there are particular rites and traditions whose roots are to be found in other historical moments and have significant historical-anthropological importance.
In Novoli an enormous pile of wood called la Fòcara, the height of a building with galleries inside it is burnt for S. Antonio Abate on 17th January. In Castellana Grotte they are called fanove and fracchie in San Marco in Lamis. Another characteristic event is the charming historical procession of Frederick II in Oria with the Palio dei Rioni. The great Swabian monarch is remembered here in his favourite land with his court of Saracens, Germans, Jews, nobles and notables of all kinds, who go in processions amongst the celebrating people wearing glittering costumes.
The Holy Week rituals have roots that stretch far back in time, and deep into the spirit of the people. During the days that follow, every church holds religious functions that are integrated or completed by artistic religious manifestations to commemorate Christ's death.

Madonna della Madia (Monopoli - 14/15th August - 16th December)

At the beginning of the 12th century work was underway on the cathedral in Monopoli but had stopped as there was insufficient wood to finish the roof.
The Vescovo prayed to the Madonna for help and, early in the hours of the 16th of December 1117, a local villager dreamt that the Madonna came to him and told him that the Vescovo must go down to the beach.
He ran to tell the Vescovo three times but was twice turned away. Eventually the Vescovo went down to the sea and found that a huge wooden raft bearing a Byzantine icon of the Madonna and Child had washed up on the shore.
The timbers were used to construct the roof and the icon took pride of place in the cathedral where it can be seen today.Every year this "miracle" is celebrated with a renactment of the events (also in August for some reason), townfolk gather en masse to watch the raft appear by sea, representatives from all the local churches process in full regalia and there is music, prayers and, to round it all off, fireworks. The experience is truly magical.

Arts and crafts

Many traditional arts and crafts are still produced, skills being passed onto younger generations. Wool, cotton, linen items in traditional and embroidered designs are made and sold locally in the gift shops.
Crafts using the special "Chiancarelle" stone found in the quarries in the Apulian countryside are used to make miniature Trulli and souvenirs.
Ceramics and pottery are produced in the town of Grottaglie and are known for their famous cock motif, and many items are still made from from olive and cherry tree wood.

LOCAL ENOGASTRONOMY

Apulia, a land of flavors and fragrances.
With their mastery, bakers, dairymen, and farmers turn land fruits into products that owe their rich flavors and fragrances to their simpleness.
One cannot leave Apulia without tasting Altamura bread, widely renowned thanks to its unmistakable taste and yellow color derived from wheat flour. Aleatico, Primitivo di Manduria and Negroamaro wines represent the glory of a qualified, world-famous winemaking tradition.

Typical dishes - Orecchiette

Ingredients:
150 g buck-wheat flour
150 g durum flour
1 tbsp olive oil
1,8 / 2 dl. water
Preparation: Mix flours and knead them with oil and water. You have to obtain elastic but compact and non-sticky dough. Cover and keep in fridge for 1 hour.
Divide then the dough in four and roll every piece to obtain a string thick like your finger. Cut the string in small parts. Make a small ball in your palm and press with the thumb in the middle to give the shape of a belly. Your "orecchiette" are ready: they need only four minutes cooking as all kinds of fresh pasta.

Typical dishes - Orecchiette with turnip greens

Ingredients:
400 g orecchiette
400 g turnip tops
olive oil
freshly ground pepper
salt

Preparation: Chop the turnip tops roughly. Put the orecchiette into salted boiling water and then add the turnip tops. When they are ready drain and add olive oil and freshly ground pepper.
In some areas the olive oil is heated with red chili pepper, a garlic clove (removed when brown) and some anchovy filets. These are pressed with a fork to break them up. This hot oil is poured over the pasta.
You can always deep-freeze your fresh pasta: freeze it on a dish before putting in plastic bags when deepfrozen.

Typical dishes - Fresh anchovy pie

Ingredients:
600 g fresh anchovies
3 tb sp bread crumb
parsley
1 garlic clove
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preparation: Clean the anchovies by removing the head, bone and innards. Open them out and rinse them. Place them on kitchen paper to dry.
Chop the parsley and the garlic and mix it with the bread crumb. Oil an oven dish an place a layer of anhovies on the bottom. Sprinkle with the parsley mixture, salt and olive oil. Continue layering until you have finished all the ingredients.
Heat the oven to 350° F - 180° C - G4 and bake the anchovies for 20-30 minutes.

Typical dishes - Baked Lampascioni

Only those who really know Apulia have come across this tuber with its slightly bitter but appetizing flavour. Pinkish-brown in colour, with a slightly-elongated round shape, lampascioni or tassel hyacinths, are bulbs grown in the soil, so they must be cleaned very carefully. They repay this small effort by being particularly good to eat yet low in calories.

 

Ingredients:
1kg lampascioni
1kg potatoes
oil
Preparation: Place the lampascioni in water and clean thoroughly, removing any earth or grit. Dry and make a cross-shaped incision in the base of each bulb. Peel and slice the potatoes. Place the lampascioni and potatoes in a baking dish with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven for about an hour.

Best of wine

Primitivo di Manduria, the most famous wine of Apulia, native of the Ionian coasts of Salento, then spread all over the region, ideal for rich, elaborate Mediterranean dishes. Primitivo is a table wine, also available as Dolce naturale, Liquoroso secco and Liquoroso dolce naturale, specially suitable for desserts.
Produced from Primitivo grapes, the name means the grapes ripe early.
The "ordinary" wine has a nice red colour verging on the purple or orange if aged; the flavour is mild, distinctive, and the taste is nice, rounded, well-balanced, slightly velvety when aged.

 

Locorotondo DOC, a white table wine, available as sparkling wine.
Minimum alcoholic strength is 11 degrees. It is considered one of the most promising quality white wines in the region.
At a visual inspection it looks straw yellow, with dark green flecks, its flavour is rich and lasting, fruity, flowery, with soft scents of peach and hawthorn. The taste is dry, round and fresh, fairly full-bodied and well-balanced, not too overwhelming.