The cartellate is an italian recipe, in Bari Carteddàte, in Lucera Crùstele, in Lecce Cartiddhate, are a typical Christmas dessert of the Apulian gastronomic tradition, widespread throughout the region.
Prepared especially for Christmas, in the Christian tradition they would represent the halo or the bands that wrapped the Child Jesus in the cradle, but also the crown of thorns at the time of the crucifixion. Once ready they are stored in large containers kept in closed places away from light sources. Similar sweets are also produced in Calabria, where they are called nèvole or crispelle, and in Basilicata, where they are called roses or crispedde
The name is connected with paper, wrapped, that is, synonymous with wrapping, according to their typical arabesque shape
At the dawn of Christianity, these ritual pancakes would be transformed into gifts to the Madonna, cooked to invoke their intervention on the success of the crops. The cartellate are also mentioned as clouds in a report of 1517, drawn up on the occasion of the wedding banquet of Bona Sforza, daughter of Isabella of Aragon and in 1762 in a document written by the Benedictine nuns of a convent in Bari.
The vincotto is a condiment deriving from the cooking of the must from Apulian grapes Negroamaro and Malvasia or from figs. The vincotto or cooked must dates back to the times of the ancient Romans. Anciently cooked grape must had two versions, according to Columella, (1st century AD), the grape must reduced by one third is called “defrutum”, while if reduced by half it takes the name of sapa. The Romans used cooked must as an ingredient to enrich meats and other dishes and in cakes as a sweetener; before the use of brown sugar was introduced it was also mixed with honey. They also used cooked must diluted with water as an energy drink, or as a base to create a strongly intoxicating Roman wine. Apicius’ kitchen (2nd century) makes extensive use of defrutum. The juice of sweet fruit of apple-tree, fig, carob etc. which were already obtained in the ancient West, is not a vincotto as it does not derive from grapes.
Other variants see them with chocolate instead of vincotto, or simply icing sugar. Once prepared, they are kept in large pans, away from light and indoors.
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Regional denominations
The handwriting in dialect has been updated using the volume “Il Dialetto di Bari” by Alfredo Giovine, edited by Felice Giovine.
Calangi, Vernole (LE), Calimera (LE)
Carance, San Giovanni Rotondo (FG)
Cartagghiéte or * Carteddéte, Palagiano (TA)
Carteddàte, Bari (BA)
Carteddate, Taranto (TA), Trani (BT), Modugno (BA), Molfetta (BA) and Palo del Colle (BA)
Carteddàte, Triggiano (BA)
Carteddéte, Alberobello (BA), Walnuts (BA)
Carteddète, Conversano (BA), Statte (TA), Martina Franca (TA), Massafra (TA)
Carteddéte, Capurso (BA)
Carteddête, Grumo Appula (BA)
Carteddàte, Modugno (BA)
Carteddèute, Bitonto (BA) and Palese-Macchie (BA)
Carteddóte, Ruvo di Puglia (BA) and Barletta (BT)
Cartellate, Foggia (FG)
Cartelléte, Polignano a Mare (BA)
Cartiddàta, Maruggio (TA)
Cartiddate, Bisceglie (BT) and Salento
Cartiddate or Cartellate, Lecce and Salento,
Cartiddàte, Leporano (TA)
Cartiddati, Latiano (BR)
‘Ncartiddate o’ Ncartellate, Maglie (LE)
Cartilléte, Manfredonia (FG)
Chelustre [8] / K’lustr Mattinata (FG) and Vieste (FG)
Chiòsere [9] Gravina in Puglia (BA)
Crispelle, Accadia (FG)
Cròstl, Spinazzola (BT)
Crùstele, San Nicandro Garganico (FG) [Instead of vincotto, they are flavored with fig honey], San Marco in Lamis (FG), Cagnano Varano (FG), Carpino (FG), Lucera (FG), Vico del Gargano (FG ), Trinitapoli (BT) and Lesina (FG)
Ngartddáy, San Ferdinando di Puglia (BT)
Mévele, Dauno Apennine countries
Nèvele, Poggio Imperiale (FG)
Névele, San Severo (FG), Torremaggiore (FG)
Névole, San Severo (FG)
’Ncartedhate, Cavallino (LE)
’Ngartïdête, Cisternino (BR)
’Ncarteddète, Locorotondo (BA)
’Ngarteddéte, Adelfia (BA) and Putignano (BA)
’Ngarteddòte, Bitetto (BA)
‘Nccartiddrhate or’ Ncartellate, Nociglia (LE) and Surano (LE)
’Ncartiddati, Brindisi (BR) and Mesagne (BR)
Knuckles, Satriano (PZ)
Rose, Andria (BT)
Rosettes, Potenza (PZ)
Scartagghiète Mola di Bari (BA)
Scartagghiòte, Castellana Grotte (BA)
Scarteddate, Minervino Murge (BT)
Scartilléte, Gargano coast
Scart’ddat, Melfi (PZ)
“Scart’llat”, Pietramontecorvino (FG)
Scaròl Carlantino (FG)