Some of the most impressive scenery in the south of Italy is hidden away in the heart of the tranquil, sun-drenched Basilicata region. The expanses of golden wheat near Potenza, the spectacular lakes around Venosa, and the historic towns that dot the hillsides are so picturesque that they have been used as film sets by photographers and film directors, including Pier Paolo Pasolini, Francesco Rosi, Lina Wertmuller, and recently, Mel Gibson, for his film “The Passion of the Christ.” Except for the city of Matera, famous for its ancient
sassi, or stone cliffs, the region is not often visited by tourists, which only adds to its mysterious charm.
Beneath Basilicata’s quiet exterior is a cuisine that rages with the heat of the peperoncino, the fiery chili pepper that can be found in all sorts of shapes and sizes at the local market. While other regions, such as Abruzzo, make liberal use of the “little red devil,” here it’s used at such a level that the uninitiated may find themselves gasping for breath and reaching for the nearest glass of water. Likewise, the flavors of the local food, which enchants with its wholesome goodness, are robust, sharp, and intense. Pork, pasta (made from durum wheat and water, in hundreds of forms), bread, and vegetables are the stars of the table, and desserts are surprisingly good, especially those generously sweetened with the local honey.
Specialty Foods of Basilicata
The peperone di Senise, or Senise pepper, is cultivated in a number of villages in the provinces of Matera and Potenza, in the heart of Basilicata. These include Senise, the village that gives the pepper its name, stands on the slopes of a hill in the valley of the river Sinni. Traditionally used for flavoring peasant dishes, the Senise pepper is today a specialty of the Basilicata region and has been produced with IGP status (Indicazione Geografica Protetta- Protected Geographical Indication) since 1996. Brick red in color, the Senise pepper may be eaten fresh. It has a slightly elongated form and thin flesh, and contains very little water, making it particularly well suited to being dried and turned into powder. In powdered form, the Senise pepper is often used for making local cheeses and cured meats, and for flavoring soups.
The best salsicce lucane, or lucanica sausages, the pork sausage of Basilicata (which was once known as Lucania) is made using only top quality meat, seasoned with salt pepper and fennel seeds, or with pork fat, pepper, salt, peperoncino, and fennel seeds. Although the people of other regions of Italy would quibble with the idea that this sausage originated here, few would argue that the varieties produced in the region, where pigs are prized and still fed almost entirely on natural foods (bean, corn, acorns), are some of the finest in the country.
Some typical dishes of the Basilicata region are lamb cooked in a pignata, or earthenware pot, and flavored with bread crumbs, carrots, cheese, and sausage, or al cuturillo, cooked with chicory. Also exceptional are the region’s pastas, such as the local orecchiette, dressed with cherry tomatoes and cacioricotta, the wonderfully scented local cheese. In the province of Potenza, two tasty specialties are pupazzella, small round hot peppers in vinegar filled with anchovies and parsley; and pasta with lu’ntruppc, a tasty meat sauce made with meat and sausage.
