International food blog: November 2020

During many centuries of cohabitation there was an exchange of knowledge between Griko (transplanted Greeks) and Southern Italians in the art of cooking. The Griko are traditionally producers of cereals, vegetables, olives and legumes. Local Griko cuisine does not differ greatly from the local italian population, however there are local regional variations. Many typical Griko dishes that are still in use among them. Some of them are mentioned below.

Pitta and Lestopitta - a traditional Greek-Calabrian bread from the Bovesia region.

LINK to stuffed pitta recipe

LINK to lestopitta recipe

Ciceri e ttrìa - A form of Tagliatelle served with Chickpeas. Traditionally this dish was consumed on the feast of Saint Joseph on 19 March in Grecia Salentina.

LINK to Recipe

ciceri-e-tria

Cranu stompatu - a wheat dish, prepared in a simple way, by soaking and pounding the wheat

LINK to Recipe

TYPES OF PASTAS

Tiaulicchiu - Hot Chili peppers, extensively eaten

throughout Grecia Salentina, they are usually stored dry, or preserved in jars of oil, with the addition of slivers of garlic, mint, and capers.

Sceblasti - a traditional type of hand made bread from the Grecia Salentina region.

Aggute - a traditional Greek-Calabrian Easter bread from the Bovesia region, it is prepared with a mixture of flour, eggs and butter and the surface is decrated with painted hard boiled eggs, similar to the Greek Tsoureki

Scardateddhi - traditional Greek-Calabrian wedding sweets, made from flour, honey and anise seeds which are shaped like small doughnuts. They are then cooked in boiling water, and sprinkled with brown sugar or iced with honey before being served.