The bond between bread and the city of Matera

Talking about bread in Matera means recounting an essential part of the city's history. Matera bread is not only one of Basilicata's most renowned gastronomic products, but an identifying symbol that for centuries has accompanied the daily life of Matera families. Its history is intertwined with that of the Sassi, with peasant labor, with neighborhood wood-fired ovens, and with the evolution of an ancient profession like that of the baker.

To truly understand why bread is so important in local culture, one must start from the context in which this tradition was born. If you wish to delve deeper into the relationship between the city, the Sassi, and its millennial history, you can also read the page dedicated to Matera and the history of the Sassi.

Due donne impastano e lavorano il pane di Matera in un ambiente domestico tradizionale dei Sassi di Matera, in una scena storica in bianco e nero.

When Matera Lived in the Sassi: How Bread Was Made in the Past

Until the first half of the 20th century, when most of the population still lived in the Sassi, bread was an essential item on the table and in domestic life. Each family prepared their own dough at home with flour, water, sourdough, and salt, following gestures handed down from generation to generation.

There were no dough mixers, modern machinery, or organized bakeries like today. All the work was manual. The women of the house kneaded large quantities of dough on wooden tables, with strength, experience, and patience. Each dough was marked with a stamp or a distinctive symbol, so that, once baked, it could be recognized and returned to the correct family.

The bread was not always baked inside the home. Once ready, the dough was taken to the neighborhood's wood-fired ovens, where the baker took care of the baking. It was a daily practice, deeply linked to the communal life of the Sassi.

The role of the baker in ancient Matera

In Matera's Sassi, the baker was not just a craftsman. He was a central figure in the life of the neighborhood, a point of reference for entire families, and a custodian of practical knowledge that required precision, experience, and reliability.

Initially, his task was not so much to produce bread for sale, but rather to receive the dough prepared in homes, manage the communal oven, control temperatures and baking times, and correctly return the baked bread. His work was therefore both technical and social.

The bakery was a workplace, but also a space for daily exchange. Around the oven, stories, news, neighborhood relationships, and customs that were part of the city's collective life passed by.

The birth of the Perrone tradition in 1890

It was in this context that the story of Panificio Perrone began in 1890.

In what was still the small city of the Sassi, when bread-making techniques struggled to modernize and every family continued to knead at home, Nicola Perrone, great-great-grandfather of the current owning family, was the first Matera citizen to officially become a baker.

In addition to producing bread for his own large family, Nicola began collecting the dough prepared by families living in the Sassi and then baking it in his ancient wood-fired oven. From that small oven, a new phase of Matera bread-making was born, in which the baker's role began to evolve from a simple baking manager to a true bread artisan.

This is where an important part of Matera's bread tradition takes shape: an ancient culture still alive, constantly evolving, and always a symbol of the city.

Donna che trasporta il pane di Matera su una tavola nei Sassi di Matera, in una scena storica in bianco e nero.

Bread as a sacred good in Matera culture

For the people of Matera, bread has never been just any food. For centuries it was considered a precious, almost sacred commodity, linked to working the land, family survival, and daily dignity. It was never wasted; it was deeply respected and was the centrepiece of the table.

The substantial shape of Matera bread, its thick crust, and its ability to keep for a long time also arose from practical needs: it had to nourish large families and last for several days. But, beyond its practical function, bread also had a very strong symbolic value: it represented the fruit of labour, effort, and the continuity of domestic life.

How many types of bread were there in the Matera tradition?

In Matera of old, there was not the wide variety of breads found in modern bakeries today. The local bread-making tradition was much more essential and functional. The undisputed star was the large durum wheat bread, designed to last over time and accompany daily meals.

Alongside this main bread, however, there were differences related to size, shape, crust quantity, and the specific uses of families or special occasions. Over time, it was precisely this bread-making culture that led Matera's historic bakeries to develop distinctive interpretations and specialties.

The depopulation of the Sassi and the new Matera

With the depopulation of the Sassi and the growth of the modern city, the role of bakeries also changed. Domestic bread-making gradually decreased, and bakeries moved to the new neighborhoods, accompanying Matera's urban development.

Santino Perrone mostra due pani artigianali di Matera davanti al forno in una foto storica in bianco e nero.

Santino Perrone's Contribution to Matera's Bread Making

In 1960, Santino Perrone opened his new bakery in the new Matera, on Via Nazionale, carrying on the family tradition in a city that was undergoing profound changes.

His importance for Matera's bread-making was immense. With his experience and dedication, he passed on some of his knowledge to young Materani who would later open their own bakeries, still active today. His knowledge also led to creation, giving life to a distinctive bread called " Il Santino," characterized by a thick crust and little crumb.

Santino Perrone was also the first entrepreneur from Matera to introduce the bread of the city of Sassi throughout Italy, contributing not only to the spread of the product but also to the image of Matera after depopulation.

Matera Bread Today: A Living Tradition and Artisan Identity

Today, Matera bread is known throughout Italy as one of the most iconic products of Italian artisanal baking. But behind every authentic loaf lie slow wisdom, careful processing, natural leavening, and knowledge passed down through generations.

The baker's trade has evolved significantly compared to the past, but the fundamental principles of good Matera bread-making have remained the same: respect for time, artisanal sensibility, careful selection of flours, and continuity with tradition.

This continuity still thrives today in the work of Panificio Perrone: on the page dedicated to tall Matera bread, you can discover one of the most representative forms of our production, also available online.

A bread that tells the story of Matera

To tell the story of Matera bread is also to tell the story of the city, its families, and its territory. From life in the Sassi to communal neighborhood ovens, from the first bakers to modern artisanal bakeries, the evolution of bread closely follows the evolution of the Matera community.

If you are curious to learn more about the local culture, we also recommend consulting the following pages:

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Matera bread so famous?

Matera Bread is famous for its centuries-old history, for the artisan processing method handed down over time, and for its unique characteristics: a thick and crunchy crust, a compact and fragrant crumb, long shelf life, and the use of high-quality flours. It is considered one of Matera's most representative gastronomic symbols.

How was bread made in the Sassi of Matera?

When people lived in the Sassi, each family prepared their own bread dough at home, kneading it by hand with flour, water, sourdough, and salt. The dough was then taken to the neighborhood bakeries, where the baker would bake it in a wood-fired oven.

Where was bread baked in Matera in ancient times?

In ancient times, bread was baked in communal wood-fired ovens in the Sassi, managed by the city's bakers. Families would deliver their prepared dough, and the baker would take care of the baking, then return the bread ready for consumption.

Who was Matera's first baker?

According to the Perrone family tradition, Nicola Perrone, in 1890, was the first Matera citizen to consistently work as a baker, collecting dough from families in the Sassi and baking it in his wood-fired oven, thus initiating a new phase of bread-making in the city.

Why was bread considered sacred in Matera?

In the farming culture of Matera, bread was considered sacred because it represented the fruit of labor, the land, and family survival. It was an essential part of the daily meal and was treated with great respect, avoiding any waste.

What is the history of Panificio Perrone?

Panificio Perrone's roots go back to 1890, when Nicola Perrone started one of the city's first historic bakeries in the Sassi di Matera. Since then, the family tradition has been handed down for generations, contributing to the evolution of Matera's bread-making up to the present day.

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