Molise

Like in the other Italian regions, Molise cuisine is rich in different dishes and traditional products. Thanks to the different microclimates and areas, it has been possible to develop many food traditions. In the area along the coast, traditional Molise dishes are seafood, the most noteworthy of which is the pulepe secche (dried octopus) and the seafood soup. In contrast, the mountain area is characterized by a great number of cheese factories and the most popular cheeses are the caciocavallo di Agnone, Pietracatella cheese and the cow mozzarella. But what differentiates this region is truffle: almost 40% of the Italian truffle comes from Molise. Other traditional products used in the Molise cuisine are the vegetable, such as tomatoes and grass peas which are commonly used for the traditional recipes. Molise is also an extremely suitable region for wine-growing and among the most important local grape varieties we can find Tintilia and Montepulciano, the latter used for the wine Rosso Molise DOC. Molise, after Valle d'Aosta, is the smallest region in Italy. This region is mostly mountainous and it is also chracterized by a hilly area that overlooks the Adriatic sea.