“Paparine”, “zanguni", “lapazzi”, “cicoreddhe”, “sprusciani”... these are just some of the dozens of edible wild herbs that grow in Salento and that were an important part of the local diet in the past. In ancient times these herbs were also used for medicinal purposes.
Even today, if you walk in the countryside between October and April, it is not uncommon to see people (almost all elderly) who - armed with a knife and a plastic bag - collect wild herbs.
Traditional dishes that use these ingredients are still very popular today.
The recognition and preparation of these herbs is a knowledge that must be passed on to the younger generations.
In collaboration with Terrarossa, Salento KM0, and the Otranto Leuca and Bosco di Tricase Park, we organized some bicycle rides during which we went to the fields, we collected the herbs - with the help of elderly and experts - to then cook them and eat them all together.
