pane di Matera

This unusual-looking bread, made from wheat grown on the hills around Matera and shaped like the nearby Murgia Materana landscape (watch the video to see how it is folded) is one of the great symbols of the city, along with the famous Sassi, or cave dwellings.

Made with yeast made from figs and/or grapes that has been fermented in spring water, pane di Matera rises slowly, then ideally baked in a wood fired oven (four of the city’s bakeries still do). The result resembles sourdough with a thick crunchy crust and honeycombed crumb with a distinctive tang and chewiness.

Until 1950, loaves were prepared at home then taken to communal oven and marked with a wooden stamp so everyone knew whose was whose.