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Italy Gourmet food and wine information - Index | Aosta Valley | Piedmont | Lombardy | Trentino-Alto Adige / Südtirol | Friuli-Venezia Giulia | Venetia (Veneto) | Liguria | Emilia Romagna | Tuscany | Umbria | Marche | Abruzzo | Lazio | Campania | Molise | Basilicata | Apulia | Calabria | Sicily | Sardinia

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Basilicata includes Potenza and Matera. In Matera, the Sassi are a prehistoric (troglodyte) settlement, and are probably some of the first human settlements in Italy. The peperone di Senise, or Senise pepper, is grown in several villages in the provinces of Matera and Potenza, in Basilicata. Some typical foods of Basilicata are the pignata (earthenware pot) cooked lamb, with bread crumbs, carrots, cheese and sausages, or al cuturillo, with chicory. On your gourmet tour to Basilicata, your tour guide will introduce you to the following culinary specialties and recipes, and to the following wines and liqueurs:

Diavolicchio is a chili pepper found in many local recipes

Luganiga a salt cured meat kept in lard or olive oil

Ciaudedda artichokes braised and stuffed with potatoes and stewed in tomatoes

Pignata di Pecora is ewe cooked with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, pork and pecorino in a clay pot called pignata

Aglianico del Vulture - red

Moscato del Vulture (dessert wine)

Basilicata is a poor region, with many mountains and few people. Simple foods like pasta, tomatoes, bread, olives and pork are commonplace. Spicy foods, peppers and, unusually in Italy, ginger (zenzero) are favored. Strong cheeses, i.e. matured ricotta are to be found here too. If you wish a private Italy tour customised to include Basilicata gourmet foods and wines, please enquire; at A La Carte Italy Tours we will be delighted to design a special itinerary for your privately guided tour.