What Can A Vegan Eat in Puglia, Italy?!

Two days after handing in my Master's thesis, I was sleeping on the floor in Stanstead airport, waiting for my flight to Brindisi, Italy. I was going to spend the next two weeks speed traveling around Italy.

First stop was to Puglia down in the heel of south Italy. People typically travel to Puglia for a chance to see a snapshot of rural, rustic Italy, whereas I went to Puglia for the food. Food in Puglia is best represented as cucina povera, or 'peasant food' (it is actually translated as "the kitchen of the poor" although that sounds every inch of entitlement). Cucina Povera basically means that their food comes straight from the soil to the kitchen, a fact you can taste in every bite!

Most days, my friends and I lunched in our italian home; it was so easy (and so cheap!) to eat light, healthy meals in Puglia especially when compared to the UK. A typical lunch featured a large  chickpeas and cannoli bean salad, mixed with fresh lemon juice. 

We bought freshly baked focaccia with sun-dried tomatoes from the local supermarket, or sometimes we'd share a packet of frise de grano, a local delicacy. Of course, Lucy-La Lingua would never forgive me if I forgot to mention the stracciatella- burrata's sexy-yet-sloppy cousin; I wish I could eat like this every day!

Otherwise, we would venture out to try the local restaurants around Racale. As we were in Italy, we had to try the pizza! I tried two pizzerias in Puglia, Bella Napoli in Racale and this little place we wandered into in Alberobello, which I, unfortunately, forgot to check the name of - I was too hungry! 

The pizza in Alberobello had a fluffy crust, a thin, crispy base and drizzled with olive oil similar those found in Naples (which is considered by many to be the king of pizzas!). In Bella Napoli on the other hand, the crust was the same height as the base which made for a crispier pizza. The main selling point in Bella Napoli is their metre-long pizzas, which can be made up of four different pizza toppings.

As a vegan, I was a little worried about going to Italy, the land of cheese, meats, and egg pasta. 
I needn't have worried. 
Every pizza was made fresh on site, so it was so easy to ask for it without cheese, there was a wide variety of pasta's, and veganism is more obviously catered for. Wandering through the streets, there were restaurants and cafes which advertised vegan-friendly foods. 

There were other restaurants and cafes who catered for vegans but in a far more discrete way. For example, the beautiful patisserie Murrieri in Racale. They bake fresh pasticiotti, a local custard-filled sponge, as well as gelato, or pastries. I had resigned to just grabbing a coffee and maybe some fruit when Lucy came back with news of a vegan croissant. I nearly tripped over my chair in a rush to the counter!

On our last night, we went for a meal out to Il Giardino Segreto, a vegan-friendly restaurant with a tree growing in the center of outside seating area. They also had this adorable one-eyed cat purring between and around tables! The only downside, in my opinion, was the lack of salt and pepper on the tables. 

I had this delicious hummus style dip made with cannelloni beans on a bed of green vegetables (but I did want to sprinkle a little pepper on top without insulting the chief). Their flavours were delicate and the food was ultimately delicious.

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All pictures are either mine or Lucy's. Speaking of, if you 
want to read a blog with a more concise layout I would definitely recommend her blog la-linga.co.uk!

Il Giardino Segreto

Via Antonietta de Pace, 116, 

73014 Gallipoli LE, 

Italy

+39 0833 264430

Hours: 

12–2:30pm, 

7–11:30pm

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