Basilicata and Calabria

Basilicata is a small and very mountainous region at the instep of the Italian boot. Because of their elevation, parts of the region are much colder than we would expect in the deep south. Basilicata is the poorest region in Italy; its soil is not very productive, and water is in short supply. The Roman name for the region is Lucania, and this brings us to Basilicata’s most famous food. Lucanica (also called luganega) is a tasty and popular sausage that has always been held in great favor in Lombardy and the Veneto. Basilicata flavors its food with hot red pepper, which often finds its way to pasta along with lucanica and an occasional vegetable.