You cannot possibly think of visiting Lecce, the capital of Salento, and not tasting typical flavors of our land. The purists of gourmet cuisine would turn up their noses, they would tell you to put aside traditional cuisine and approach molecular cuisine but… the last time we saw a “molecule” of food was in an iron diet regimen, in the movie in which Paolo Villaggio, aka “Fantozzi,” finds himself facing the follies of Dr. Birkenmeier.
That said, excuse us for the funny gag, we invite you to test the peasant flavors, in splendid traditional dishes.
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Lecce and the traditional cuisine of Salento: La Vecchia Osteria da Toto
Losing ourselves in Lecce’s narrow alleys and historic center, we landed at La Vecchia Osteria, near Porta Napoli.
Courteous waiters, a small palace courtyard so you can eat something typical without having to give up the vice of smoking, plenty of seating in the osteria’s interior rooms.
Rich appetizers for this traditional Lecce osteria.
Land and sea dance along with the picturesque Alessio, one of the dining room managers, always ready to serve you impeccably. Plenty of different courses, from country chicories to pittule, via eggplant parmigiana and pupaneddhre with mentuccia (green watermelon, typical of our areas), baked and fried peppers with breadcrumbs, seafood salad and so on.
If you are in sweet company, ask to be served fewer courses. You would not be able to finish these rich and plentiful appetizers in total solitude.
The traditional cuisine of the first courses: the choice is wide
In order to fully appreciate the flavors of the real Salento, the slow one made of peasant knowledge and elderly housewives kneading homemade pasta, we suggest you order a rich plate of homemade orecchiette and minchiareddhri (maccheroncini) with ricotta scanta (strong ricotta cheese) or a magnificent plate of ciceri e tria/massa e ciceri (rethought in a gourmet key, by our three Michelin star, Ivan Tronci and recounted in this post).
The main courses of traditional Salento cuisine
For the main courses, too, the choice is wide: it ranges from meat to fish, in a flavorful way.
Equine lovers will turn up their noses at what we are about to tell you but, since we are talking about peasant flavors and traditional Salento cuisine, we suggest you try the horse pieces with sauce. Delicious, a bay leaf to flavor the sauce, tender horse meat. Infinitely tasty.
If you love the sea, a grilled fillet of sea bass (branzino in northern Italy), accompanied by seasonal vegetables, may be for you.
Enjoy.
