Lucanian cuisine, or the regional cuisine of Basilicata, is deeply rooted in traditional farming culture. It predominantly relies on pork and sheep meat, along with legumes, cereals, and vegetables. Distinctive flavorings such as chili pepper, crusco pepper powder, and horseradish add unique touches to the dishes.

Ingredients in Basilicata’s Regional Cuisine

A key ingredient is the Crusco Pepper, a variety of dried pepper essential to the region’s cuisine. It features in a range of dishes, from starters to mains, including Pasta with Cruschi Peppers, Lucanian style Baccalà (salted codfish), and Acquasale. Horseradish, widely available and humorously referred to as “the poor man’s truffle,” is another staple. It’s crucial in sauces like ‘Ndruppeche, a mixed meat ragù typical of Potenza, whose name metaphorically suggests stumbling over the chunks of meat and salami in the dish. Horseradish also appears in dishes like Rafanata, an oven-baked or traditionally charcoal-cooked frittata, mixed with bread and potatoes for meatballs, and used to flavor meats. Bread crumbs, once considered “the poor man’s cheese,” are another distinctive ingredient. Pork has been central to Lucanian cuisine since Roman times. Here, sausage, originally called lucanica, was born and later became popular nationwide, evolving into luganega, a sausage typical of Northern Italy. Fish is less common inland but features along the limited Tyrrhenian and Ionian coasts.

Appetizers in Basilicata’s Regional Cuisine

Among the appetizers, cured meats like “Pezzente” Salami, named for its use of less prized meat cuts, and Vecchiareddra, a unique pork salami enriched with fennel seeds and spices, are notable.

First Courses in Basilicata’s Regional Cuisine

Pasta plays a prominent role in “first courses”, with typical shapes including Strascinati, Cavatelli, Ferretti, Orecchiette, Maccaronara, Lagane, and Manate. Dishes like Calzoni di Pezzente e fagioli, stuffed pasta with Pezzente salami and cooked ham, seasoned with beans, pecorino, and parsley, pair well with a Red wine from Alta Val d’Agri, made from Merlot grapes. Other examples include Cavatelli with pumpkin tops, Ferretti with Pezzente and horseradish, and more. Soups made with vegetables or fish along the coasts are also common. Examples are Crapiata, a typical Matera vegetable soup; Munnulata, made with chestnuts, beans, potatoes, and crusco pepper powder; and Cuccìa, a peasant soup with grains, chickpeas, broad beans, and grass peas.

Main Courses in Basilicata’s Regional Cuisine

In main courses, pork and sheep meat dominate, with occasional chicken and fish dishes. Examples include Agnello alla contadina, oven-cooked lamb with potatoes; Cutturidd, stewed sheep meat with various ingredients like tomatoes, potatoes, lampascioni, and cardoncelli; and Pollo alla potentina, chicken prepared with tomato, onion, potatoes, lard, and fresh chili pepper, best paired with a Primitivo di Matera wine. Lucanian style Baccalà is seasoned with Cruschi peppers. The region is also known for its cheeses like Caciocavallo Podolico, Pecorino di Filiano DOP, and Canestrato di Moliterno IGP, which go well with astructured red wine such as Aglianico del Vulture Superiore. Among baked goods, the famous Pane di Matera IGP stands out, along with Pane di Trecchina and San Severino Lucano potato bread.

Desserts in Basilicata’s Regional Cuisine

Desserts in the region are simple and modest, relying on natural ingredients. Examples include Anginetti, glazed doughnut-shaped cookies; Cannaricoli, small treats made from flour, oil (or lard), lemon juice, and white wine; and Rosacatarre, fried sweets resembling roses, coated in honey, ideally paired with a Malvasia passita di Matera.