Gastronomy

Lecce’s cuisine is a perfect blend of intense flavours, genuine ingredients, and a culinary tradition rooted in centuries of history. The typical dishes of Lecce and Salento reflect the area’s rural and maritime culture, with recipes that have preserved their authenticity over time. One of the most iconic dishes is Ciceri e Tria, a dish made of pasta and chickpeas. The uniqueness of this dish lies in the “tria,” a fresh handmade pasta, part of which is fried and added to the dish to give it a crunchy texture. This recipe of Arab origin remains a pillar of Salento’s gastronomic tradition. Another widely consumed dish is Fave e cicorie, a humble yet incredibly tasty meal consisting of a fava bean purée served with wild chicory. The slight bitterness of the chicory perfectly complements the sweetness of the fava beans, often accompanied by toasted bread.
Among the traditional pasta varieties are Minchiareddi, small hand-rolled pasta tubes often served with tomato sauce and pecorino cheese. The famous Orecchiette are also a staple, served with simple tomato sauce, turnip greens, or meat ragù. Another renowned speciality is Piselli cecamariti, a peasant dish made with peas, often enriched with onions and pancetta and served with slices of homemade bread. Its curious name refers to the dish’s irresistible taste, said to be so delicious it could “blind” husbands with its flavour. Sagne ‘ncannulate is another emblematic dish of Lecce’s cuisine: a long, twisted pasta typically seasoned with tomato sauce and ricotta forte, a cheese with a strong, slightly spicy flavour.
Among meat dishes, Pezzetti di cavallo stand out—small pieces of horse meat slowly cooked in a rich and spicy tomato sauce. Another typical dish is Turcinieddhri, small lamb intestine rolls grilled or pan-fried, known for their strong and distinctive flavour. Along the Gallipoli coastline, a unique seafood dish is the Scapece di Gallipoli, consisting of fried fish preserved in layers with breadcrumbs soaked in vinegar and saffron, giving the dish its characteristic deep yellow colour.
When it comes to desserts, Pasticciotto is the king of Lecce’s pastries—a golden, fragrant shortcrust pastry filled with creamy custard, often enjoyed at breakfast with an iced coffee. Bocche di dama are soft and creamy treats made of sponge cake filled with cream and covered in a sugar glaze. Cartellate are fried pastries, also typical during Christmas, made with thinly rolled dough spirals covered in honey or vincotto. Fruttone is a variation of pasticciotto, filled with almond paste and quince jam, coated in dark chocolate. Mustazzoli are hard, spiced biscuits, typically covered in a sugar or chocolate glaze, with a rich aroma of cinnamon and cloves. Finally, Porceddhruzzi are small fried dough bites similar to Neapolitan struffoli, covered in honey and decorated with colourful sugar sprinkles, a staple of Salento’s Christmas celebrations.