Pane di Laterza facts for kids
Pane di Laterza is a special kind of bread that comes from Laterza, a small town in the Apulia region of southeastern Italy. This traditional bread is made using durum wheat flour, water, salt, and a natural starter called sourdough. While it's mostly made in Laterza, you can also find it in nearby towns. The Italian government, through its Ministry of Agriculture, has officially recognized Pane di Laterza as a "Traditional Food Product" (PAT) of Apulia.
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| Alternative names | Pén d' Latérze |
|---|---|
| Type | Bread |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Laterza, Apulia |
| Main ingredients | Durum flour |
How Pane di Laterza Started
Farming has always been super important for the people of Laterza. We know that people were using grains to make bread as far back as the 5th century BC! Back then, they mostly used grains like spelt and barley to make a flatbread called focaccia.
After the time of the ancient Romans, for many centuries, only rich people could afford to have bread made in bakeries. An old oven, which was used until the 1700s, was found in an area of Laterza now called "Fornaci." This oven belonged to a powerful landowner.
In the 1950s, the bakeries in Laterza were run by just four women. One woman was the main baker. The other three workers would gather firewood and collect the dough that families had prepared in their homes. The baker would then cook the bread in the oven. After it was baked, the workers would deliver the fresh bread back to the families.
What Makes This Bread Special
Pane di Laterza is baked in a wood-fired oven. They use olive wood, sometimes adding natural scents from apricot seeds or almonds. Each loaf of bread is quite large! They are called panelle or panédd in the local language. They can weigh one, two, or even four kilograms. The outside crust is a nice brown color, and the soft inside part of the bread is a creamy ivory color.
Here's what you'll find in 100 grams of Pane di Laterza:
| Water | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Energy Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 grams | 10 grams | 2.3 grams | 49 grams | 9.8 grams | 257 kcal |
Working Together for the Bread
There's a special group called the "Consorzio per il Pane di Laterza" in Laterza. This group helps to protect and promote Pane di Laterza.
Laterza is also part of a national group called the "National Association of the Cities of Bread." This Italian organization works to share and celebrate all the different kinds of traditional breads made across Italy.
