Almonds boast a leading role among the typical Apulian specialities.
They were imported from the Asian countries in the Mediterranean area by the Greeks thousands years ago and continued to be exchanged in trade over centuries.
This dried fruit has got wealthy energetic properties that make it a complete food from a nutritional point of view: it contains protein, vitamins B1 and B2, vitamins A and E, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium.
It has also many therapeutic qualities: it reduces cholesterol, strengthens the bones, helps prevent anemia, slows down skin aging, has an antidepressant effect on the nervous system.
Almonds are harvested between September and October, but you can’t miss the flowering of almonds trees between February and March.
In Apulian cuisine they are cooked in a multiple ways: almonds can be simply eaten as dried fruit, sugary or roasted and salted, can be used to prepare almonds paste sweets, very typical in the local pastry, such as mostaccioli and the biscuit of Ceglie, to make confetti or nougat, or as almond milk drink, alcoholic or not.
The almonds of Toritto, a small town in province of Bari, have become very famous and been recognized as slow food presidium, and they are considered among the most exquisite on the market.
Oil and milk extracted from the almonds can be also employed in medicine and cosmetics industry, that appreciate the properties to realize creams, lotions, beauty masks…
viaggieitinerari... in Puglia by Valeria Dicarlo 