Summer holiday in Basilicata

There is a sense of isolation in Basilicata (also known to locals as Lucania), my hometown in southern Italy. It’s quite hard to reach the area: there isn’t a fast connecting train, and the nearest airport is a three-to four-hour drive away. But Basilicata is verdant and mountainous, with hot, bright summers and snowy winters. It’s also rich in natural resources, although this has not translated to material wealth for the people: we are the poorest region in Italy, with high unemployment (a lot of young people have left for cities like Rome and Milan for better economic opportunities). Corruption is also rife in local politics, but that’s another story.

Agriculture continues to play a major role in Basilicata. Thus, our cuisine has a strong peasant influence, with a lot of emphasis on local produce, such as Pasta con Patate e Fagioli, a pasta dish served with potatoes and oval-shaped, yellowish sarconi beans. These days, I see new age chefs in Basilicata putting a modern twist on our peasant cuisine. The region is a place for foodies.

Excerpt from the November issue of epicure.