Pane di Laterza
Pane di Laterza is a traditional bread of Laterza, a municipality in the province of Taranto, Italy. It is made with durum wheat flour with water, salt, and sourdough. It is mainly produced in Laterza, but it can be also found in neighbouring comuni. It has been recognised by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, [Food Sovereignty and Forests (Italy)|Ministry of the Agriculture, Food and Forestry Policies] as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale of Apulia.
Origins
Agriculture was historically an significant sector in the economy of Lazerta. The first evidence of the use of cereals intended for the production of bread date back to 5th century BCE. Spelt and barley were the most common cereals used in baking, particularly for focaccia. After the Fall of the [Western Roman Empire|fall of the Roman Empire], for several centuries, the production of bread was reserved for the nobility, who could afford to manage a bakery. An ancient bread oven, which was found to have belonged to a feudatory and to have been active until the 18th century, was discovered in the district of Laterza nowadays named Fornaci.In the 1950s, bakeries of Laterza were managed by only four women: a baker and three workers. The workers prepared the firewood and took the dough from the houses of the village. The baker cooked it and then the workers brought the baked bread in the houses again.
Characteristics
Pane di Laterza is baked in the wood oven with olive wood with some other natural aromatic products such as seeds of apricot and almonds. The size of each piece of bread can amount to one, two or four kilograms. The crust is brown while the soft part inside the bread is ivory-coloured.The estimated nutritional value of the bread for 100 grams is:
| Water | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrate | Fiber | Energy Value |
| 28 | 10 | 2,3 | 49 | 9,8 | 257 kcal |
Consortium
Consorzio per il Pane di Laterza, Laterza.Laterza is also a member of the Associazione nazionale città del pane, an Italian organization with the aim of promoting and enhancing the traditional types of bread.