Orecchiette pasta is a tradition made in Puglia, and will be celebrated in Grottaglie in August.
Eleven chefs will prepare the famous pasta
Orecchiette nelle 'nchiosce (Orecchiette On the Road) returns on 11 and 12 August for its eleventh edition in the little town of Grottaglie to pay homage to this culinary and historical Apulian tradition. The star of the open-air gastronomic itinerary is orecchiette, a typical Apulian pasta format resembling little ears. Throughout the town’s historic centre eleven chefs will blend tradition and creativity, and visitors will be able to vote via QR code for their favourite orecchiette dish. To accompany each dish, local wineries and craft breweries will offer selected labels. 
Pizzica dancing and a ceramics competition
In addition to orecchiette tastings, visitors will be able to try dancing the pizzica, a traditional Apulian dance, or model clay on a potter's wheel thanks to the Torniamo workshops, and on 11 August the Drum Fest will bring drummers from all over Italy. From 12 July to 12 October, Grottaglie's Episcopio Castle will host the XXXII edition of the Mediterraneo Contemporary Ceramics Competition, with 73 works on show from all over the world. The official opening will be held on Saturday 12 July at 7 p.m. at the Castello Episcopio. Grottaglie is the only Italian town with an entire urban settlement dedicated to ceramic production and its characteristic Ceramics Quarter it is a living workshop with ceramists working at kilns
The town owns it names to thousands of caves
Just a few kilometres from Taranto, in Salento, Grottaglie owes its name to the thousands of caves inhabited since prehistoric times that populate it. With a historical centre entirely dug out of tuff, the village has a great historical heritage including the Mother Church and the Episcopio Castle, the Church of San Francesco De Geronimo, the Gravina del Fullonese and the Sanctuary of the Madonna di Mutata.
