Puglia

Also known as Apulia, The heel of Italy is rich in culinary delights; the flat wheat fields of its Tavoliere are one of Italy's breadboxes, and it produces a lion's share of the country's olive oil. The seafood includes unusual shell fish such as fasolare and taiedda. Pugliese cooks make good use of vegetables and pulses; the classic pasta dishes are orecchiette con le cime di rapa and ciceri e tria. Also look out for the strongly flavoured ricotta forte.

The name is derived from the Latin Apulia, meaning the 'land of Iapudes', the Italic tribe that inhabited the northern part of the region.