Easy Italian Recipes

Hearty "Cucina Povera"

Historically among Italy's least prosperous regions, with mountainous terrain, a harsh, arid climate, and limited coastal access, Basilicata (sometimes called Lucania) makes the most of its limited culinary resources, extracting intense flavors from basic ingredients in a simple, yet satisfying farmstyle cucina povera (cuisine of the poor). The cooking draws heavily on vegetables and on legumes, including lentils and chickpeas (garbanzo beans). Pork, much of which is cured or turned into sausages, has traditionally been the main source of meat. The hills and mountains also yield lamb, goat, and wild mushrooms, which are used in a variety of sauces, stews, and pastas. Basilicata's artisanal goat's milk and sheep's milk cheeses, including burrata, caciocavallo, and aged, salted ricotta forte, are known for their quality and their often intense flavor. Local chiles (of which one prominent variety is whimsically referred to as diavolicchio, or "little devil") are used as much for their sweet flavor as for spicy heat. Semolina flour has been a culinary staple in Basilicata since ancient times (pasta is said to have been invented here), and is used to make bread and a vast variety of handmade pastas. The region's DOC wine is Aglianico del Vulture, a rich, ruby-hued red made from a varietal introduced by the ancient Greeks (Aglianico means "Hellenic").

Culinary Signature: Lucanica

Lucania is the old Latin name for Basilicata, stili used by some old-timers and stili evident in the name of the region's famed lucanica sausage. Like its culinary cousins, Portuguese linguiq and Spanish longaniza, lucanica is a long, thin pork sausage spiced with chiles. It is made in both fresh and dried versions in Basilicata and is eaten roasted, fried, and smoked. Versions of lucanica are now made throughout Italy. In the north, it is known as luganega.

Regional Specialties

Fave e cicoria puréed fava (broad) beans served with blanched chicory

Lagane thick, fettuccine-style pasta often served with beans or lentils

'Ntruppicc tomato-based pasta sauce made with bits of chopped lamb, pork, and beef, sometimes garnished with fried chiles and ricotta salata cheese

Cutturiddi lamb casserole with tomatoes, celery, and chiles, cooked in a terra-cotta pot

Agnello ai funghi lamb stew with wild mushrooms

Mandorlata di peperoni sweet-and-sour peppers with almonds and raisins