Basilicata cuisine

Basilicata (Lucania) is mountainous and frugal: dried Senise peppers fried to a crisp, hard durum pasta with breadcrumbs, chickpeas and chicory, mutton stewed in terracotta, and the peppery lucanica sausage the Romans named. Its great wine is the Aglianico of Monte Vulture - one of the south's finest reds - with fresh Matera whites alongside.

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Antipasto

Peperoni CruschiFried dried sweet peppers

Sun-dried sweet peppers of Senise flash-fried in oil until glassy and crisp, eaten as a snack or crumbled over pasta and cod.

dried Senise peppersolive oil

Wines to drink with it

Aglianico del Vulture DOC The Vulture Aglianico's acidity and dark fruit balance the sweet, crisp peppers.
Aglianico Aglianico is the region's defining grape and its natural table companion.

Baccalà con Peperoni CruschiSalt cod with crisp peppers

Fried or stewed salt cod topped with crumbled crisp Senise peppers - a Lucanian marriage of sea and mountain.

salt coddried Senise peppers

Wines to drink with it

Greco A fresh Greco white cuts the salt cod and echoes the sweet pepper.
Matera DOC A Matera white is the local pairing for the cod dish.

Primo

Strascinati con Mollica e Peperoni CruschiDragged pasta with breadcrumbs and crisp peppers

Hand-'dragged' durum pasta dressed with toasted breadcrumbs (the 'poor man's cheese'), garlic, oil and crumbled crisp peppers.

strascinati pastabreadcrumbspeperoni cruschi

Wines to drink with it

Aglianico del Vulture DOC The savoury Aglianico matches the toasted breadcrumbs and pepper.
Aglianico Aglianico's grip keeps the oily, crunchy pasta fresh.

Lagane e CeciRibbon pasta with chickpeas

Fresh eggless ribbon pasta (lagane) cooked with chickpeas, garlic and a little chilli - a dish of Roman antiquity still eaten across Lucania.

lagane pastachickpeasgarlic

Wines to drink with it

Aglianico A medium Aglianico suits the earthy chickpeas without overpowering them.
Terre dell'Alta Val d'Agri DOC A red from the Val d'Agri hills is a fitting inland match.

Secondo

Pignata di PecoraMutton stewed in a terracotta pot

Mutton slow-cooked with potato, tomato, onion and herbs in a sealed 'pignata' terracotta pot, traditionally by the embers.

muttonpotatotomatoherbs

Wines to drink with it

Aglianico del Vulture Superiore DOCG The powerful, age-worthy Vulture Superiore stands up to the long-stewed mutton.
Aglianico Aglianico's tannin and depth match the gamey, herbaceous stew.

Salsiccia LucanicaLucanian pork sausage

A long, coiled pork sausage seasoned with fennel and chilli - the 'lucanica' the Romans took from here, grilled or dried.

porkfennelchilli

Wines to drink with it

Aglianico del Vulture DOC Aglianico's acidity cuts the fatty, spiced sausage.
Primitivo In the Matera country a ripe Primitivo is an easy match for the grilled sausage.

Contorno

CiaudeddaSpring vegetable stew

A stew of artichokes, broad beans, potato, onion and pancetta - the taste of the Lucanian spring.

artichokesbroad beanspotato

Wines to drink with it

Matera DOC A fresh Matera white flatters the green spring vegetables.
Malvasia A Malvasia white's soft aromatics suit the artichokes and beans.

Dolce

CalzoncelliFried chestnut-and-chickpea pastries

Little fried pastry parcels filled with a sweet chestnut or chickpea, cocoa and cinnamon paste, dusted with sugar - a Lucanian Christmas sweet.

pastrychestnut or chickpeacocoacinnamon

Wines to drink with it

Moscato Bianco A sweet Moscato lifts the spiced chestnut-and-cocoa filling.
Basilicata IGT A regional sweet Malvasia or Moscato bottled as Basilicata IGT is the local dessert wine.