In Basilicata you eat very well. The quality raw materials and the jealously guarded processing methods have allowed the Lucanian food excellences to obtain prestigious certifications. From north to south, the food and wine culture of this small region tells the story of people for whom the guest is sacred.
There is no Lucanian table without the crusco pepper: an extraordinary product, a true testimonial of the entire region. Senise PGI peppers are dried in the sun twisted into necklaces, once dried they are fried to create delicious recipes. The powder version is known as zafàran.
Aglianico del Vulture DOC, a wine with a full-bodied and persistent flavor, is produced in the municipalities on the slopes of the volcanic Monte Vulture. The PDO extra virgin olive oil comes from the same area; also in this case, the steep volcanic soils give the product its extraordinary qualities.
On top of the Olympus of Lucanian DOC wines there are Grottino di Roccanova, preserved in caves carved into the rock, Terre dell’Alta Val d’Agri, made from Merlot and Cabernet grapes, and Matera, one of the youngest wines in Basilicata.
The flavor of Matera PGI bread, its shape reminiscent of the Murgia, and its organoleptic characteristics represent a perfect synthesis of the peculiarities of the territory in which it is produced.
Among the cheeses, historic life companions of shepherds and farmers, Canestrato di Moliterno PGI deserves a special mention. The cheese wheels, obtained with traditional baskets, are seasoned exclusively in the refining rooms (“fondaci”) of Moliterno. Further north, the excellent Pecorino di Filiano DOP is produced, made of the whole sheep’s milk.
Sarconi PGI beans are grown in the flourishing Val d’Agri. These beans have 15 different types and their tender pulp makes them particularly appreciated for quick cooking and digestibility.
The Pollino area hosts two iconic products of Lucanian gastronomy: white beans and red aubergine, both PDO products from Rotonda. The beans are famous for their high protein content and thin skin. The aubergine is very special, both in appearance and in flavor: to be tried in the farmhouses of the wonderful Pollino Park.
The Rotonda red aubergine in oil and the Moliterno canestrato (photo by Salvatore Laurenzana)
Nomen omen: Lucanica di Picerno PGI is the sausage par excellence. Made with consolidated historical methods, it has an intense taste with the aroma of wild fennel, black pepper and sweet pepper.
Among the slow food presidiums that tell the history of the region and its people, there are the red bean from the Pantano, the Pezzente from the Matera mountains, the baked olive from Ferrandina, the Pera Signora del Sinni and the wonderful Caciocavallo podolico.
These and other food excellences, perfect souvenirs for slow travelers, can be tasted in the gastronomic events that take place between May and October in the authentic villages of Basilicata.
e