Altamura bread

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Traditional shapes
DOP denomination

The traditional loaves of Altamura bread

1.

U Sckuanète (The Overlapped Loaf)

The most common type of loaf. Traditionally the dough was kneaded at home and taken to the local bakery,where the baker gave it its definitive, overlapped shape, marked it with a wooden or iron stamp bearing the initials of the head of the family, and then baked it. After one hour he opened the oven in order to make crisp the crust. When the loaf was ready, after the cooling of the bread on boards, the baker delivered it house-to-house. Payment for the baker-carrier consisted of a piece of dough weighing around 300 gr. , locally known as u cecì. Today, the overlapped loaf is made by the town bakers, baked in ovens heated directly by a log fire or in wood-fired mechanical ovens and sold.

2.

U puène muèdde (The soft or peasant’s loaf)

This loaf was traditionally made for peasants and shepherds, who ate it during the long periods spent in the countryside (generally two weeks).
Its milling, shaping and baking process is the same used for the overlapped bread. Today, with the modernization of milling techniques, a fine durum wheat semolina is generally used instead of a coarser meal, giving the bread a straw-yellow colour rather than its traditional amber colour.

3.

U peccelatìdde (The tantrum loaf)

Traditionally, u peccelatìdde was the loaf prepared and eaten while the sckuanète was being baked. The name derived from the need to satisfy the demand (tantrum) for bread from children.

4.

U puène a ‘mmenza stufe (The stove-baked loaf)

U puène a ‘mmenza stufe was a special loaf, made for the well-to-do families of the town or for ceremonial occasions such as weddings.
Its particular merit derived from the use of flour milled from the highest quality varieties of durum wheat ("Senatore Cappelli" for example).

5.

U cuappidde de prèvete (The priest’s hat )

This loaf consisted mostly of crust. It was made largerly using the pieces of dough given to the baker-carrier (u carresceapène) as payment by the housewives.

6.

La panèdde de Sand’Andonje ( Saint Anthony’s loaf)

A votive loaf made for the feasts of Saint Anthony from Padua (June 13), Saint Joseph (March 19) and Saint Anne, patron saint of bakers (July 26). It is blessed on small altars set up in private homes and distributed among the devotees, who keep it in their kitchens for the whole year as protection role. Nowaday the Saint Anthony’s loaf is made also on occasion of the feasts of Saint Rita, by the Church of Saint Augustine and of Madonna del Buoncammino, by her Sanctuary.

7.

La fecazzèdde de la Maculète (The Immaculate Conception’s loaf)

This loaf was made for the feast of the Immaculate Conception (December 8). Traditionally it was the only food eaten after the stroke of midday from the Cathedral bell on the eve of the feast (December 7).
Nowaday this bread is made only by bakers and sold by retail or on request