Regional food of Puglia

Huge, flat and often short of water, Puglia grows large areas of grain and lots of vegetables including garlic, onions, tomatoes, courgettes, broccoli, bell peppers, potatoes, spinach, aubergines, cauliflower, fennel and endive. chickpeas, lentils and beans are also produced in this region.

Puglia is the largest producer of olive oil in Italy and its vast expanses of olive groves are a sight to behold.

It is also famous for its seafood, in particular oysters and mussels, which are cooked in a variety of sauces.

Orecchiette (meaning 'little ears') pasta, made from flour and water, can be found everywhere in Puglia and it is not uncommon to see women sitting out in the street and making it during the day. This is teamed with sauces made from the abundance of vegetables grown locally and in common with other southern regions the chilli is used freely.