Altamura bread is one of the many products that the Puglia region can boast about. Indeed, Puglia's food culture is one of the region's greatest assets, a source of regional and tourism development. A series of typical recipes and products are found, such as the famous Altamura bread, a local bakery product born and developed in the southern Alta Murgia area. This DOP product, shaped like a crossed loaf or a priest's hat, is made from re-milled durum wheat semolina. On the outside, it has a crispy crust at least 3 millimeters thick; on the inside, a soft, straw-yellow crumb.
History and curiosities…
Bread was kneaded primarily by women at home and baked in public ovens. Bread-making was therefore a collective act that united families, both socially and culturally. To prevent the loaves from getting mixed up, the baker would mark them with the initials of the owner or head of the family before baking them.
Altamura bread has been made for centuries following a traditional recipe, a bread so ancient that traces of it can be found in the works of the famous Latin poet Horace as early as 37 BC. The first reference to the product's place of origin can be found in Book I, V of the "Satires" by the Latin poet Horace, who in the spring of 37 BC, revisiting the landscape of his childhood, notes the existence of "the best bread in the world, so much so that the diligent traveler takes a supply with him for the rest of his journey."
The practice of baking in public ovens was a consequence of the ban imposed on citizens from baking any type of bread or focaccia in their homes, under penalty of paying a fine equal to a third of the total cost of baking.
Milling activity must also have been concentrated in Altamura, given that at the beginning of the 17th century there were as many as 26 fully operational processing plants.
Altamura bread is still made today following the ancient recipe passed down from generation to generation by farmers and shepherds since the Middle Ages. The ingredients—durum wheat flour, sourdough starter, salt, and water—are unchanged, as is the production process, which involves five phases: kneading, shaping, leavening, shaping, and baking in a wood-fired oven. These were the characteristics that differentiated it from other types of bread.
The quality of Altamura DOP Bread is guaranteed by the Protection Consortium.
The bread's main characteristic, preserved over time, was its durability, which ensured the survival of farmers and shepherds during the weeks they spent away from home, working in the fields or pastures on the Murgia hills. Lunch for these workers consisted of bread soup flavored with olive oil and salt. Until the middle of the last century, the baker's call could be heard in the streets of Altamura at dawn announcing the bread's completion.
How can it be consumed?
Altamura bread has a strong identity due to its unmistakable shape.
Still an excellent product eaten on its own or sliced with extra virgin olive oil and salt, Altamura DOP Bread is ideal for appetizers and snacks, or paired with a variety of dishes. Among the most traditional recipes using this bread are Cialde (with tomatoes, onions, potatoes, and olives) and Zuppa povera (small pieces of fresh or toasted bread with tomatoes, oregano, basil, fresh garlic, salt, and extra virgin olive oil); all typical products of Puglian cuisine.