On the southeast side of Italy lies the ancient port city of Brindisi, a delightful melting pot of Greek, Middle Eastern, and Italian culinary influences that make the city’s cuisine truly unique. Regardless of where you dine or what you eat, your meals in this charming port city will most likely be some of the freshest and most authentic cuisine on the Adriatic coast.

In Brindisi, a strong emphasis is placed on serving fresh food with simple ingredients. The primary component of any dining experience in this city is the freshly caught seafood from the harbor and expanse of the Adriatic Sea. These vast waters also heavily contribute to the success of the agricultural industry here, making fresh fruits and vegetables key elements of almost every meal.

Almond milk has become a claim to fame of sorts for Brindisi. The nut-based milk is produced through a process in which water is infused with finely chopped almonds and then squeezed or pressed to expel the milk. It is a popular drink of choice here in the city, is an excellent source of protein, and can be featured as an ingredient in multiple dishes.

Another common drink here is Limoncello. This after dinner drink is common in much of Italy, particularly in the southern part of the country. The liqueur is made from lemon rind, sugar, water, and alcohol. Diners may find this drink offered in local restaurants as a post-meal treat or even sold at some street food stands to be enjoyed as people wander the city on foot.

In a nod to its Italian roots, Brindisi is known for making a variety of delicious, homemade cheeses. Many of the cheeses produced here are made with sheep’s milk rather than cow’s milk because sheep are more common and accessible than other livestock. Some of the more popular cheeses made here include ricotta, pecorino, burrata, giuncata, manteca, and mozzarella.

No matter what kind of dining experience you have in Brindisi, the people here embrace daily life and seek to enjoy each moment. Plan to spend a couple of hours savoring the flavors of the sea, meeting warm and friendly people, and enjoying a glass or two of fine wine.

APPETIZERS

While perhaps not as much as its regional counterparts, Brindisi is known for making delicious homemade bread. Most often, diners enjoy this in the form of bruschetta, or grilled bread that is topped with locally made olive oil, homemade cheeses, and fresh tomatoes. Though this starter is relatively basic in nature, the homemade cheese and fresh ingredients bring it to life.

Cheeses that diners will often spot during the appetizer course and throughout their meals may include pecorino, ricotta, burrata, manteca, and mozzarella. Pecorino is a sheep’s milk cheese often used in pasta dishes that can be flavored with a number of spice combinations. Aged pecorino is harder and tastes more buttery than lesser aged cheese, which is softer and creamier in texture.

Ricotta is aged for months and is made most often from sheep’s milk and is soft and creamy. Ricotta is also frequently fermented, and in this case it is known as ricotta forte. Burrata cheese is made with stracciatella and cream on the inside, and mozzarella and cream on the exterior. Manteca cheese is possibly the most decadent, with a harder cheese exterior and an interior of creamy butter. Mozzarella is the classic small semi-soft cheese made from water buffalo milk.

Another popular appetizer here is taralli. These little oval bites have a characteristic ring shape. They are boiled and then baked and can be made savory or sweet. Savory taralli are often flavored with garlic, pepper, chili, and onion. Sweet taralli can be glazed in sugar and some diners also enjoy dunking them in wine.

Another frequently requested dough-based starter is pettole. This dish is made of small fried dough pieces that feature fillings of fruit and vegetables, or even fish.

Vegetables can have a starring role in appetizers as well. Courgette, known in the United States as zucchini, is usually served with a special nutmeg cream. Aubergine, or eggplant, is often served stuffed with garlic.

FIRST COURSE

Unlike many of its neighbors, the Apulia region focuses primarily on two types of pasta, orecchiette and cavatelli.

Orecchiette pasta is small and shaped like little ears. This handmade pasta is used as a base for many dishes that feature everything from vegetables to seafood sauce. In fact, the most common way to prepare orecchiette in Brindisi and the rest of the Apulia region is called orecchiette con le cime di rapa, that is orecchiette with broccoli rabe. Because of its seaside location, it is not unusual for orecchiette to be served with fresh and sometimes fried perch and shellfish. While orecchiette with meat sauce may be found on the menu, seafood-based sauces and toppings are far more common.

Cavatelli, another handmade pasta shape, resemble little shells with the outer edges folded inwards. The name cavatelli itself means little hollows. A special version of this dish, ricotta cavatelli, adds ricotta cheese to the dough of the pasta, which is a delightful special touch. Like orecchiette, this pasta shape is often served with broccoli rabe, or other vegetables, such as artichokes.

Soups are a favorite here in Brindisi. After a long day fishing in the harbor, there is nothing like a hearty bowl of soup to welcome one home. Regardless of the catch of the day, a variety of seafood-based soups as well as bean soups are often requested first course options.

Another common dish enjoyed throughout the Apulia region is tiella, which features rice, potatoes, and mussels, and combines the best of the local produce with fresh seafood.

SECOND COURSE

Because of the readily available seafood from the waters of the Adriatic Sea, meaty dishes are rarer in Brindisi. The people live off the land and the resources available to them, which is primarily a healthy offering of seafood, fruits, and vegetables…mixed in with a little homemade bread and cheese, of course.

Seafood lovers will enjoy a fish extravaganza for the second course. A number of seafood options such as perch, mussels, shellfish and more are served almost any way one can imagine. Typically, fish is either baked, grilled, or fried and served on its own or in combination with savory spices and vegetables. Freshly caught and prepared seafood straight from the Adriatic Sea makes every bit of difference in the taste and enjoyment of Brindisi’s second courses.

Though less prevalent compared to seafood, meat is enjoyed in Brindisi as well, often featuring less noble parts of the animal. A staple in the area is turcineddi, which consists of sheep giblets prepared with parsley, bay leaves, vinegar, and salt.

Outside of seafood, there are several vegetable-based second course dishes that are popular among the locals. One example is stuffed artichokes, a dish that features local artichokes stuffed with herbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, breadcrumbs, and eggs then baked. Other vegetable recipes favored by the locals include squash with ricotta cheese, stuffed eggplants, and cardoons au gratin.

SIDE DISHES

Local vegetables can be prepared in a variety of ways for Brindisi’s side dishes.

In addition to sauteed, roasted, or grilled vegetables, the people of Brindisi also enjoy mashed white beans. Because the beans must be soaked for at least 12 hours prior to cooking, this recipe does require a bit of planning, though the flavors are more than worth the effort. After the beans have been soaked, they are cooked slowly over low heat for a minimum of an hour and a half. The long cook time ensures that the beans reach a soft consistency, though for even creamier results, the mixture can be passed through a sieve before being served. The last step is to season the beans with the simple, but essential, ingredients of extra virgin olive oil and salt. The bean puree may be served on its own as an accompaniment to local seafood or meat dishes, or it can be paired with other vegetables, such as fried peppers or sauteed broccoli rabe.

STREET FOOD

Brindisi proudly carries on the Italian tradition of the evening stroll referred to as passeggiata. This is a tradition in which locals and visitors alike walk the streets of the city in the evening hours to soak up their surroundings and wrap up their day. In many places in Italy, including Brindisi, street food can be a large part of that tradition.

The more popular street food options here include fritta, focaccia, and rustico. A fritta, sometimes called a panzerotto in other parts of Apulia, consists of fried dough that contains delicious melted mozzarella cheese and tomatoes. Focaccia is a type of light, fluffy, and savory flatbread, often topped with tomatoes and olives. Rustico is a mouthwatering pastry filled with savory flavors of cheese, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Each of these treats are highly portable so they can be relished and enjoyed during the evening passeggiata.

DESSERT

While coffee and sweet treats are a small part of the culture, Brindisi cuisine is generally more focused on appetizers and first and second courses. That said, one dessert not to be missed is the pasticciotto. Some versions of the small desserts can look like a mini pie with a top-heavy crust. The filling is usually creamy and sometimes ricotta-based with fruit. The flaky crust and creamy filling make this dessert a light and fabulously decadent after dinner treat.

Generally speaking, a dessert enjoyed throughout the Salento area in Apulia is called purcidduzzi. This sweet treat consists of fried balls of dough that are drizzled with honey and topped with pine nuts, almonds, or colorful sprinkles. Zeppole are another tasty fried treat made from water, butter, flour, and egg.

WINE

Although pairing wine with a leisurely dinner is a universally enjoyed Italian custom, in Brindisi it somehow means more. In fact, the Italian word for toast is actually, “un brindisi.” To enjoy your meal without a sip of fine wine, would simply be to miss out on a true Brindisi dining experience.

While a number of grapes such as the Malvasia Nera or Montepulciano may be used in Brindisi wines, by and large the most commonly used grape is the Negroamaro. These grapes give the wine a strong, robust body laced with fruit flavor. Some of the more popularly requested wines in Brindisi include Brindisi Rosso, Rosato Brindisi, Aleatico di Puglia, and Ostuni.

Pause the hurried pace of life and journey to Brindisi to enjoy the unique Italian and Eastern cuisine of this charming port city. Do not forget to bring a friend or loved one as all that Brindisi has to offer is best shared with good company.