Alberobello is a town bursting with history, and its cuisine is no exception. The recipes used throughout the city and its region of Apulia reflect the peasant traditions of the area’s past. Recipes are rooted in simplistic ingredients and are crafted using traditional techniques. The cuisine of the region highlights the crops of each season and reflects the local history.

Travelers who visit the town will find that local restaurant menus contain dishes made with local produce (tomatoes, fruits, olives, fresh herbs, almonds, beans, and eggplant), fresh meat (lamb, veal, beef and sausage), grains, fresh olive oil, local pasta varieties such as orecchiette, and seafood (oysters, mussels, bream, squid and cuttlefish).

Apulia is known for its amazing local olive oil, which is rich and flavorful. Travelers can take a day trip from Alberobello to the nearby countryside and experience an olive oil making tour. Along with learning the traditional methods of olive oil crafting, travelers can also take part in an olive oil tasting.

From dining at sit-down restaurants to enjoying street foods from local bars and snack shops, travelers can indulge in the region of Apulia’s many flavors throughout Alberobello. Some of the local eateries are even located inside the city’s characteristic trulli.

APPETIZERS

When in Alberobello, appetizers are reflective of Apulian traditions and are comprised of fresh, seasonal produce and flavorful, local cheeses. Bruschetta made with crusty bread and fresh tomato toppings, marinated vegetables with cured meats and local cheeses, as well as breads such as focaccia (flatbread) and taralli (local ring-shaped crackers) are all common.

The vegetables served in this course are often locally grown, such as the flavorful olives the region is known for. Cold cuts like capocollo and regional cheeses such as caciocavallo podolico, Pallone di Gravina, burrata d’Andria, and cacioricotta are often served alone, honoring the simplistic tradition of peasant-style cooking that is common throughout Apulia.

FIRST COURSE

For the first course, often known as the pasta course throughout Italy, travelers will enjoy dining on the Apulia region’s hearty pastas, soups, and stews.

Locally grown vegetables such as parsnips, potatoes, carrots, chickpeas, and beans star in most of the area’s soups, which are often so thick and filling there is not much room left for the traditional pasta dishes that follow them.

Throughout Apulia, there are a variety of unique pasta shapes that are handmade locally. Because wheat is a readily available crop in Apulia, pasta is a staple food in Alberobello. The most famous of which, orecchiette, is shaped like a small ear and lends itself to hearty, rich sauces. A very popular pasta dish served throughout Apulia is orecchiette scure con cacioricotta pomodoro e rucola. It is a delicious pasta simply made with cheese, tomatoes, and arugula. Orecchiette are also commonly served with broccoli rabe, garlic, and fried breadcrumbs in this part of Italy.

Locals also enjoy cr´sciàul, which is narrow lasagna-like pasta served with a cod sauce.

A common soup in the area is pizzicate, which features beans slowly cooked with onions, bay leaf, wild chicory, and broccoli rabe.

Rice, grains, and casseroles are also popular for this course.

SECOND COURSE

For the second course in Alberobello, there are a variety of meat-based dishes as well as some delicious vegetarian options, all of which stick to traditional Apulian recipes.

Because of the city’s proximity to the coast, often the protein found in the second course in Alberobello is seafood-based. Soups, pasta dishes, and stews are made with local swordfish, shrimp, clams, mussels, and more. One of the region’s most characteristic seafood dishes is cozze ripiene – mussels in the shell stuffed with a bread crumb mixture made with parsley, cheese, and eggs all cooked in a garlic tomato sauce. Whole fish is also often served either broiled or grilled.

Other meats that are often served in the second course throughout the area are veal, sausage, pork, beef, and lamb. Some of the most popular meat dishes include braciole pugliesi (veal rolls stuffed with cheese), flavorful roasts with root vegetables, thick and hearty soups, and grilled skewers of local meat and fresh produce.

Locals also enjoy Alberobello meatballs, which do not feature any meat, but rather are made with eggs, cheese, and breadcrumbs.

They can be fried and enjoyed on their own or they can be served with tomato sauce and basil.

For vegetarians, the region boasts many vegetable-based dishes such as vegetable soups, meatless pasta dishes, and fresh salads featuring local produce.

SIDE DISHES

As with other areas throughout the region of Apulia, common side dishes in Alberobello honor the traditions of “poor” cuisine – simplistic ingredients that highlight the natural flavors of the region. Alongside meals in Alberobello, expect to find a variety of vegetarian side dishes made with local produce and beans, as well as regional cheeses eaten alone and traditional focaccia bread.

One common bean dish is white bean puree. Another favorite is locally-grown purple artichokes that are usually stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, cheese, and eggs. The artichokes can also be prepared au gratin, served in broth, or fried.

STREET FOOD IN ALBEROBELLO

After a day of strolling the city of Alberobello and viewing the area’s traditional trulli homes, stop into a street side café and recharge with some traditional Apulian street food.

One of the most popular street foods in the city is bombette di Alberobello. This traditional recipe consists of pork meat rolled around caciocavallo cheese, salame, parsley, salt, and pepper. The rolls of meat are then skewered and roasted over a fire. The roasting melts the cheese and makes the meat crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.

Another popular street food found in Alberobello (and throughout the entire region of Apulia) is focaccia bread. Often travelers will find focaccerie – restaurants that highlight focaccia bread by serving it up in a variety of ways. From various flavors of focaccia served alone to pizzas, sandwiches, and panini made with focaccia, there are many delicious ways to enjoy this classic Apulian staple.

Other common street foods from the region include fried polenta and popizze (fried dough balls covered in powdered sugar).

Taralli, Apulia’s signature ring-shaped crackers, may also be enjoyed on the go.

DESSERT

When traveling to Alberobello, travelers can expect to find a wide variety of traditional Apulian desserts that reflect the local history and are crafted from classic recipes. Restaurants and cafés offer house-baked pastries and delicious sweets of all kinds.

Some of the region’s most popular desserts include zeppole – a fried pastry dough filled with custard and cherries, biscotti di ceglie – almond flour biscuits often topped with jam or marmalade, ostie ripiene – thin wafers stuffed with honey and almonds, and bocconotti – moon shaped dough filled with jam and cream.

WINE IN ALBEROBELLO

The region of Apulia has the ideal climate and geography to grow a variety of grapes which create amazing and complex wines. The region features over 25 DOC wines that pair perfectly with the cuisine of the area.

As with most of Italy, the winemaking in Apulia is done using traditional techniques that have been passed down from generation to generation.

The region is known for its red wines, the most popular of which include Primitivo di Manduria, Negroamaro, Nero di Troia, Castel del Monte, and Galatina. From full bodied and rich to surprisingly light, there are a wide variety of reds for wine lovers to enjoy.

For fans of white wines, Apulia offers Moscato di Trani – a popular variety made from white Muscat grapes and often paired with desserts – as well as Fiano di Puglia – a dry and crisp variety perfect for accenting seafood. Other popular whites in the area are Locorotondo and Gravina Bianco.

From cured meats and cheeses during the appetizer course to the sweet pastries of the dessert course, nothing brings out the flavor of the region’s delightful cuisine better than a glass of Apulian wine.

Alberobello’s delicious cuisine based on peasant traditions is indicative of the Apulia region’s culinary tradition. When in Alberobello, be sure to feast on local specialties such as taralli, orecchiette pasta, and fresh seafood paired with flavorful regional wines.