The friselle arrived in Salento probably with the first Greek navigators who apparently used it as biscuits, but their large-scale diffusion occurred when, less than a century ago, with the decline of the feudalism, typical buildings spread in the countryside house, the “furneddhi”, where the peasants often spent the summer with the aim of obtaining supplies for the winter.

Octopus “pignata made” is the most popular traditional Salento recipe to prepare octopus, which in turn is one of the most loved and appreciated fish species in the province.

Already from the day of Saint Lucia, the kitchens of Salento begin to become animated by a feverish activity that sees the female members of the family gathered together, masterful interpreters of an ancient script that is renewed in the roles of those who knead, cut, fry, decorate, compose.

The scapece is a specialty made up of fish of particular species, fried, layered with breadcrumbs in special tubs and marinated with vinegar colored with saffron. The fish traditionally used for this preparation are the zerro, locally called pupiddhru, the garizzo, distinguished on the basis of sex in mascularu and fimmineddhra, the small boghe and the silversides, locally called minoscia.

The “cozze piccinne allu rienu” is an archaic as well as very poor dish consisting of the small terrestrial snails of the Pisan Euparipha species, simply boiled, salted and flavored with oregano.

The aubergine of Santu Ronzu or merangianata te Santu Ronzu is a kind of pie made with fried aubergines, variously stuffed, sprinkled with tomato sauce and baked in the oven.