Basilicata
Home to Monte Vulture, a magnificent dormant volcano, the region of Basilicata (long known as Lucania) lies at the southeastern "instep" of Italy's boot-like southern base. Though the terrain is largely mountainous and forested, Basilicata is home to two brief coastlines on the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Gulf of Toranto. The pastures in the area have benefited from proximity to the volcano, the fertile richness of volcanic soil legendary for making crops thrive.
Though not a particularly small region, there are nevertheless only two provinces located in Basilicata – Potenza (housing the region's capital of the same name) and Matera. The capital city of Potenza holds the distinction of being the highest (altitude-wise) regional capital in Italy. The area has historically been subjected to a number of earthquakes, so most of Basilicata's early buildings have been lost to time and nature's fickle whims. The region is an almost surreal dichotomy, with its fairly modern architecture coexisting with farming, husbandry and cooking traditions dating back in some instances for thousands of years.
Basilicata has never been known as a wealthy region, but it one of the purest examples of earthy Italian culture at its very best. The location, though beautiful, has made it a difficult area to get to in the past, having little coastal access and some very treacherous mountain terrain to cross. For the most part, this region's people have historically kept mostly to themselves. Raising crops and farm animals is still very much a way of life for many of the country dwellers, though in recent years outside eyes have begun to turn to Basilicata due to the discovery of oil within its borders. While becoming a more modernized area, Basilicata is still relatively isolated and its quiet culture has put down strong roots not so easily disturbed by the encroaching wheels of industrial progress.
Pig farming plays a big role in Basilicata's food culture. Pork from this region is decidedly leaner than in other parts of Italy, due in large part to the mountainous terrain. Many of the pigs are set to graze in the hills alongside goats and sheep, and so tend to have less fat, more lean muscle mass and a wilder flavor than one would expect from most pork products. Sausage making is predominant in the area, and is linked inextricably with the region's growing of spicy peperoncini. Local favorites include lucanica (a spicy sausage), pezzente ("beggar's" salami) and pancetta. Chickpeas, fava beans, lentils, durum wheat, artichokes, broccoli and rapini, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, carrots, olives and wine grapes are staple crops, and provide the hearty basis for countless dishes made in the simple Basilicata tradition.
While the region's people admire and cherish humble dishes, they have developed wide variety in their simplicity. Basilicata is home to countless types of durum wheat pastas, some incorporating lentil flour or other bean flours. Orechiette ("little ears"), lagane (lasagna), minuich (hand rolled tubes), firricieddi (twists), manate (tagliatelle), minuiddi (shaped like small quills), tapparelle (like orechiette but larger), rascatielli (corkscrew shaped), and lacane chiappute (a wide tagliatelle) are just a few of the pasta cuts popular in Basilicata. Most are perfect with a simply prepared tomato sauce. Equally as diverse are the different types of breads and cheeses made in the region, rounding out the rustic country fare that seems to pair so well with dishes made from the fresh vegetables and lean meats of the area. Stealing the show on the Basilicatan table are without doubt the delightful array of local cheeses such as cacioricotta Lucano (a sheep and goat milk cheese particularly good grated over orecchiette pasta), Lucania mozzarella, Casieddu di Moliterno (a sheep's milk cheese wrapped in leaves), and pecorino Lucano.
