Lands to Discover

LANDS TO DISCOVER PIANA DEL TAVOLIERE LAG Lands of Art and Tastes Cerignola, Orta Nova, Stornara, Stornarella, Carapelle, Ordona This booklet has a very specific aim: to bring to light an area of great variety, which also has a number of common threads – these six towns on the Lower Tavoliere Plain. On the one hand is Cerignola, and on the other what used to be known as the five Royal Sites: a brave agricultural colonisation experiment carried out in the late 18th century at the behest of the Neapolitan king, A Ferdinand I. Six towns lying on the Apulian plain between the Ofanto and Fortore rivers. Each with its own history, rooted in a past that may be ancient or more recent, sometimes touched by the grand events of history. Each with its own archaeological sites or historical monuments. Each with its own vibrant, ageless religious and social traditions. Each with its own lively economy based mainly on picking and processing the fruits of the land. We would like to invite you to visit these treasures - their monuments and processions, food and landscapes, wines, history and everything about this generous land will simply amaze you. We’ll be waiting! Piana del Tavoliere LAG CERIGNOLA History tactic of using a fixed obstacle to counter charges by the frightening formations of pikemen; their victory led to the Cerignola’s roots apparently date back to the 10th-11th Spanish occupying southern Italy for the next three centuries. century: that is when it was first mentioned both in a document of the Diplomatic Code of Bari dating back to In the 17th century, new lords entered the scene: the 1150, which mentions a “domum Malgerii Cidoniole” and Pignatellis of Monteleone, the Pignatellis of Bisaccia, the also in the 10th century cathedral in the medieval quarter dukes of Egmont; and in 1672 Sabatini the tabularius drew known as the Terra vecchia, or “Old Land”. up an apprezzo (or census) of a city which had just 288 “fireplaces” (1296 inhabitants). The 18th century saw The Quaternus excadenciarum Capitinatae, compiled at the drought, plagues of caterpillars and earthquakes – including behest of Emperor Frederick II of Swabia in 1249, a cataclysmic one in 1731 – but also an increase in the describes 13th century Cerignola as a castle surrounded population. Another apprezzo, this time drawn up by the by a moat, a few houses surrounded by a wall, and a small master draughtsman Costantino Manni in 1758, describes population, with the occasional “sire”, “notary”, and “judge”. the city in the finest detail, which had now grown to provide The Angevins ceded Cerignola in 1271 to Simone de a home for a population of 4153 inhabitants. Parisiis, the first feudal lord of the city, and it then passed into the hands of Bertrando Artus, Ugone de Vicini, Giovanni In the 19th century, following the abolition of feudalism Pipino, Nicola Pipino, and ser Gianni Caracciolo. and then of the Dogana della mena delle pecore – the sheep herding tax fief which for centuries had given over On 28th April 1503, this small settlement, inhabited by the Tavoliere to pasture and stifled agriculture – the city around 350 families, saw a pitched battle between the was reborn with new vigour. In 1819 the population was French and the Spanish, which some historians regard as 17,000; and it rose to 25,000 by the end of the century, a key moment in history. This was when the when the 5600 hectares of vineyards planted on the orders Spanish first tried out their “storm of fire” of the Duchy of La Rochefoucauld and the Pavoncelli arquebuse tactics (alternating rows of family – led to significant immigration from the surrounding arquebusiers firing on their feet, then kneeling villages and from around Bari. This was a time when the down to reload, enabling the next row of Mercadante theatre was built, as well as the Agricultural arquebusiers to then fire and reload); and College, the Tommaso Russo hospital, and the rail station; this was also work also began on the magnificent Duomo Tonti basilica. when the Spanish Cerignola, which now numbers 56,000 inhabitants, was the first birthplace of that great parliamentary supporter of the tried Acquedotto Pugliese (Apulian aqueduct), Giuseppe out the Pavoncelli, the philologist Nicola Zingarelli (author of the famous dictionary), the great trade union leader, and chairman of the World Trade Union Federation, Giuseppe Di Vittorio. This is also where Pietro Mascagni composed several of his operas, including his first, the classic Cavalleria rusticana. PETTOLE Ingredients for 4 1 kg of flour, yeast, oil, salt. Monuments Instructions In the north-western part of the city lies the medieval quarter: built Put flour, yeast dissolved in on an almost circular plan, with its narrow winding (and sidewalkless) lukewarm water, salt and oil in alleyways, little squares, cellars known as iusi, ground-floor dwellings a bowl and knead until a soft and houses with vignale (external staircases built parallel to the façade), dough is obtained Cover the as well as a few 16th-17th century nobleman’s residences (Palazzo bowl keeping it in a closed area Bruni, Palazzo della Chiesa, Palazzo Gala, Palazzo Matera). “Terra Vecchia” and leave it to rise for a couple of hours. also holds the Mother Church, or Chiesa Madre (10th-11th century), Take some of the dough with a and the churches of San Leonardo (14th century), and Sant’Agostino tablespoon and fry it in boiling (16th century). oil. Drain the pettole, leave to The south of the city has a unique “upturned” monument, known as dry on kitchen roll and serve, Piano delle Fosse. This is an area of some 26,000 sq.m, with no less dressed with vincotto if possible. than 626 grain pits – 6-7 m deep, 4-8 m across, and which can hold 45-110 tons of wheat, oats, broad beans or almonds – each grain pit is marked on the outside by four stone features and a boundary stone FAVA BEANS AND showing the initials of the owner and a sequential number. Back within CHICORY the city itself, we find the 16th century churches of Purgatorio and Carmine, the 18th century Palazzo Coccia in the late Baroque style Ingredients for 4 of Luigi Vanvitelli, and the imposing Tonti Cathedral or Duomo Tonti 300 g of dried fava beans, 400 (1855-1933) funded by a private benefactor. g of chicory (wild if possible), oil, salt. Just outside the city, to the north- east, is the 14th-century country Instructions church of Santa Maria delle Soak the fava beans for at least Grazie, which contains original twelve hours, strain them and frescoes and a graffito cook them for about three hours in lightly salted water over a low commemorating the Battle of flame; clean and boil the chicory Cerignola in 1503; 10 kilometres in lightly salted water. “Beat” the further south is the sanctuary of fava beans with a wooden Santa Maria di Ripalta, which spoon, adding a few drops of from October through to April olive oil and serve on a bed of houses a Byzantine icon, which chicory. legend has it was founded in 1172, and which every spring is carried on the shoulders of the faithful through the streets of the city to the Cathedral, where it is displayed for the other half of the year. Finally, 16 kilometres towards Candela lies the Torre Alemanna complex, the only remaining fortified residence of the Teutonic Knights in Apulia: a tower/residence built in 1231, alongside which stand the 16th century Palace of the Lay Abbot and the tiny church of San Leonardo. Traditional feasts revenue for the Spanish occupying forces. When the Tavoliere plain was freed from Spanish rule in 1865, some 60,000 Of particular interest are the rites of Holy Week, organised hectares of land around Cerignola was returned to its natural by the city’s confraternities and characterized by many “Cristi vocation: thus wheat, olives and vines – pioneered by rossi” (red Christs): barefooted “Cyrenians” carrying the cross and wearing a crown of thorns, walk followed by statue aristocratic families such as La Rochefoucauld and Pavoncelli groups. Good Friday sees three processions: in the morning – were to radically alter the appearance of the landscape. is the Misteri (the Mysteries), in the afternoon the Desolata These are still the core of local agriculture produce: top (the Grief-stricken Virgin), and in the evening the Cristo morto quality durum wheat, vegetables (artichokes, tomatoes, (Lamentation over the Dead Christ). Finally on Easter Saturday, baby broccoli), PDO Dauno (Protected Designation of Origin) comes the procession of the Pietà (Pity). At dawn on the extra-virgin olive oil made from the Coratina and Ogliarola Saturday after Easter, the icon of Santa Maria della Ripalta varieties, excellent wines (Rosso di Cerignola, made from is carried on the shoulders of the faithful from the sanctuary the Uva di Troia and Negroamaro grapes, has had CDO popular on the Ofanto river to the cathedral, in a highly (Controlled Designation of Origin) status since 1974), with procession. The 7th, 8th and 9th of September are the pride of place going to Bella di Cerignola, the biggest olive patron saint’s feast days: the celebrations include a on the market. Alongside the traditional olive-presses and procession with the icon borne on a triumphal carriage, wine-cellars, several food-processing plants have grown up festive lights, bands and fireworks. And lastly, on the second for bottling tomatoes and both for pickling and for Monday in October, the icon is once again hoisted onto the preserving vegetables in oil: baby artichokes and shoulders of the faithful, to be carried back through the lampascioni tumultuous crowds to its winter home in the sanctuary.

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