In this article I want to let you discover three typical dishes of the Gargano, also suitable for those who prefer vegetarian cuisine. You know those grandmothers who manage to make even a simple pasta with tomato sauce incredibly good? Here, Puglia is a bit like the grandmother of Italy: simple dishes but with special characteristics that make them incredibly tasty!

“Food makes travel great because you can get to taste what food is really supposed to be”

Meghan Markle PS: I strongly advise you to read the article with a full stomach or to book your holidays in Puglia immediately 😉 Enjoy the reading!

The simplest of typical dishes

The typical first course of the Gargano that I propose will drive you crazy. Apparently it seems impossible that such a simple combination can also be so good! In fact, we are talking about bread and tomato. Anyone who tries to replicate this combination at home without the Apulian raw materials will be deeply disappointed. The secrets of this dish are different, let’s start from the base. Bread was a staple food for the population of the Gargano, mainly women took care of it, who dedicated hours and hours to it, accompanying the work with prayers and spiritual rites. Once ready, it has an unmistakable aroma and lends itself to many combinations: first of all, bread and tomato. Always a snack for adults and children. The second secret is the tomato sauce. Every family hands down its recipe, but the truth is that the basis of a perfect success is a quality, tasty tomato, grown according to the rhythm of nature. The third secret is also the most fascinating: the oil. When you arrive on the Gargano it is impossible not to stop and admire the expanses of centuries-old olive groves. Each is characterized by a different shape compared to the other. They are trees that seem to have infinite stories to tell and which every year give an oil with an unmistakable aroma and consistency.

Podolic Caciocavallo

Among the typical dishes of the Gargano, the King of Apulian cheeses comes out in second place in a different variant compared to what can be tasted in other areas of Italy: the caciocavallo.

In Puglia the cows are of the Podolica breed, these cows as well as a dairy resource also constitute a workforce, in fact they are very resistant and rustic. They are found in the Apulian territory precisely because of these characteristics which make them suitable for a region where agriculture and breeding have remained simpler and less mechanised. They are mostly raised in a semi-wild state and feed on wild herbs. Podolian cows are very rare in Italy, so tasting the cheese made from these splendid animals is a privilege.

The queen of the typical dishes of the Gargano

As a third typical dish of the Gargano, a nice name pops up, poposcia, which is the equivalent of ciabatta in other parts of Italy and refers to its elongated and flattened shape. It is a bread similar to that of focaccia, cut and stuffed with vegetables and cheese (but in reality it can be found in many variations). Also in this case the secret of so much goodness in an apparently so simple dish is the care with which the raw materials are prepared. The bread dough is worked with sourdough and then cooked in a wood oven, giving it that crunchiness that enhances the filling. To discover more and more the beauties of the Gargano, follow us on @homegargano.