Gastronomically - a journey through the gastronomy of Puglia di Daniele Tupputi

Welcome at the port of Bari by ferry and take your car, I will look forward to you with my intent to make known and taste the typical Apulian products.

This is Bari, one of the Apulian cities, famous for its culinary specialities. Losing yourself in the alleys of Bari Vecchia, you can smell and taste the flavours of the past, and you must stop for a piece of focaccia at Panificio Santa Rita or Panificio Fiore.

The best SGAGLIOZZE(fried salty polenta) andPOPIZZE (sweet or salty fried batter) from Barivecchia. For three generations. YOU HAVE NOT BEEN IN BARI IF YOU HAVE NOT TASTE MARIA'S SGAGLIOZZE. The SGAGLIOZZE are a typical nourishing dish of the BARESE STREET FOOD. They are slices of POLENTA, made with water, corn flour and salt, fried in abundant and very hot sunflower oil. They can be enjoyed plain or combined with cured meats or whatever your imagination suggests. ABUSING THEM IS A SIN FOR THE LINE, BUT NOT TASTING THEM IS A SIN FOR YOUR SOUL.

The "ladies of the orecchiette", that's what the women of Bari are called, who every day - with patience and love - prepare the most popular fresh pasta in southern Italy and beyond. Orecchiette , a typical dish of Lucanian and Apulian cuisine, first spread to Apulia between the 12th and 13th centuries and their dough consists of just three ingredients: water, remilled durum wheat semolina and salt. Nowadays there are many variations in line with new consumer tastes. In fact, on the market or in the nets of Bari's ladies, you can buy orecchiette made with durum wheat or mixed with wholemeal flour. Orecchiette, also known as "strac'nat" in the local dialect, are used in the kitchen in a variety of ways, from the classic ragù alla barese with brasciole to accompanied by vegetables such as turnip tops.

This is Piazza del Ferrarese , located in the historic centre of Bari, and named after a merchant from Ferrara, Stefano Fabbri, who owned several properties here and moved to Bari in the 17th century, and whose mark is imprinted on the loggia of the Palazzo del Sedile. The square is the entrance to the old town and the summer is full of life here.

Located on Strada Santa Caterina on the outskirts of Bari, the Ristorante Tipica-Cucina Barese, is ready to welcome you in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Here you will find a genuine cuisine based on the tastes and flavours of Puglia. The menu includes various dishes of the local gastronomic tradition such as Patate,Riso e Cozze orecchiette e cime di rape,cicorie e fave or the classic brasciola al sugo, all at an economical price.

The bread of Altamura, made of remilled durum wheat, is one of the most famous products of Apulia, which is baked in a wood-burning oven; when it is stale, it can be used to prepare the "Cialedda", a peasant dish, or other dishes such as "pancotto" and "Fedda ross" (the classic bruschetta); cardoncelli mushrooms, which can be used in various ways, wild asparagus or "Lambasciune" are also typical of the area. Lamb is the main ingredient for various traditional country dishes such as "Cutturidd" or grilled "Gnumuridde", as well as mutton for "Rezzaule", and local farms provide milk for dairy products such as caciocavallo, ricotta forte and provoloni. Among the typical sweets of the Altamura tradition, those made with almond paste stand out, such as the "Rafaioli " or the "Rosata", and a well-known digestive produced according to a recipe dating back to the 17th century, called "Padre Peppe", named after the monk Giuseppe Ronchi, who lived in Altamura in the local convent during that period.

The Ronchi confectioner's shop, located under the arch of Altamura Cathedral takes its name from the ancient Ronchi-Striccoli owners who, in the last century, roasted coffee beans in a rudimentary iron equipment, enveloping the very central Corso Federico II with that inebriating perfume; the fragrant aromatic cloud glided from the nearby secondary door along the naves of the cathedral, tickling the sense of smell of the faithful. The café-pastry shop, now run by the young, dynamic entrepreneur Saverio Francia, who continues the business in the wake of the tradition started by the Ronchi family and continued by brothers Luigi and Domenico Striccoli, is an almost obligatory stop-off and refreshment point, both for the people of Altamura and for Italian and foreign tourists. Its specialities are Ronchi and Striccoli recipes, the famous "Sospiro", almond pastries and the well-known "Padre Peppe", a nocino made according to an old recipe from the same house.

The Antica Osteria Pein Assutt was founded in 1963, taking its name from the dialect name "Pein assutt" (dry bread), which in the past indicated a spartan place reserved for poor customers, who were content with only bread and wine without side dishes. The Dambrosio family decided to open this small tavern located in Via Maurizio D'Alessio, a few steps from the cathedral, towards Piazza Matteotti, where you can enjoy traditional dishes such as ragu misto or brasciole accompanied by a good local wine, at affordable prices. The courtesy and friendliness of the owners do the rest.

This is one of the best hotels in Bari, the Nicolaus Hotel, located close to the 16 bis road, is an ideal destination for those who want to visit the city of Bari and its surroundings.