FOOD WINE & CHEESE
TIS 1 – June 27, 2010
BASILICATA
PIATTI TIPICI E VINI
(Regional Specialties & Wines)
LUCANECA or LUGANEGA – The famous sausage of Basilicata. It goes back to the ancient Romans and has become popular all over Italy. Available both fresh or dried, usually spiced with red chillies and pepper. (Even in Genoa where I come from the Luganega is always present in spaghetti sauces.) The name of course goes back to the ancient “Lucani” a tribe of fierce people that first populate the region and gave it its first name: Lucania.
SOPPRESSATA – Highly spiced blood sausage.
FUSILLI ALLE RAPE – Homemade twisted noodles served with turnip greens sauteed in olive oil and chilli peppers.
CIAMBOTTA – Vegetable medley of peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, herbs, stewed in olive oil.
FRITTATA CON GLI ASPARAGI SELVATICI – Egg omelette made with fine, tender wild asparagus.
FUNGHI AL FORNO – Fresh mushrooms, preferably Porcini, baked with olive oil, chopped garlic, parsley, and chilli peppers.
AGNELLO AI FUNGHI – Lamb baked with funghi porcini or other funghi, white wine and olive oil.
CHEESES
Caciocavallo – Classic semi-hard southern formaggio made by suspending pairs of cheeses saddle-like astride a polo to drain. Here it is often grilled with meat.
Buttiro – Sheep’s milk cheese in Basilicata with hard crust and creamy interior.
I VINI DELLA BASILICATA
(The Wines of Basilicata)
DOC wines
Aglianico del Vulture DOC – Outstanding dry red or white wine produced from the Aglianico grape. Urbino. Min. alcohol 12.5 degrees. Wines aged for 3 years may be labelled ‘Vecchio”. Wines aged for 5 years may e labelled “Riserva”.
Many other wines are of course available from the nearby regions as well as from all the other regions.
