Our visit to Matera starting from a fifth generation of bakers
I had been wanting to visit Matera for many many years. We finally managed to do it in the Summer of 2020 and I couldn’t wait to see its famous Sassi. Mariangela, our dear friend and Matera’s local expert, had organized all our stay and we trusted her completely. “There’s no better way to understand Matera’s culture and history than through its BREAD.” Mariangela told us as soon as we arrived. What could there be so special in the bread of Matera, I thought?
Our first stop was at the Panificio Perrone, in the outskirts of Matera. A 5th generation of bakers, where Patrizia, one of the owners, took us into a beautifully designed room from where we could see the bakers at work. She spoke to us about the history of the bread through tales and old pictures. For centuries families in Matera didn’t have ovens at home. There were 16 public ovens spread around the Sassi of Matera, where the ladies, once having prepared their dough would take it to be baked. Every family had their own wooden stamp so that they could recognize their dough (you can buy these stamps still today from some local craftsmen).
Matera’s bread has a very specific shape that resembles the canyon that divides Matera from the Murgia, the hills that surround Matera and by three cuts that are a religious sign of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. At the oven the ladies used to socialize and meet friends, whilst the men would meet in the Cantine. After having learnt about the history of Matera’s bread, Patrizia took us into the actual bakery, where we learnt how to make the famous Matera’s bread. Our bread experience finished with a tasting session (or rather a lunch!) where we tasted the bread and a selection of focaccia with different local specialities, all accompanied by a beautiful rose’ wine, produced in a “masseria” nearby. Local flavours, the smell of bread, olive oil and wine, what more would you want?
