Traditional Food from Provence

Ratatouille is a traditional Mediterranean recipe. It is heaven on a plate for vegetable lovers as it consists of zucchini, eggplant, red and yellow peppers, onions, garlic, basil and olive oil. They are cooked slowly either separately or altogether, until they are soft and full of flavour.
Eaten hot or cold, you will usually see Ratatouille as a side dish with meat or fish. But it can also take centre stage and goes well with rice, potatoes or fresh baguette.

Tapenade is a traditional Provençal dish from Marseille which dates back to 1880. It is a rough paste made of black or green olives, crushed with a pestle and mortar, mixed with olive oil, garlic, and capers (tapen in the Provençal language). Spread it on toasted or fresh bread as an appetizer. Sometimes, it may also contain anchovies so make sure to check, if you’re not a big fan of fish.

Socca is a local speciality from the region of Nice. It looks like a large pancake and is made from chickpeas and olive oil. It is baked in a special pan in a traditional wood oven, which gives it its irresistible golden crust. You will see it at most outdoor food markets, just look for a long queue of people. Eat it warm to savour its unique flavour.

Salade Niçoise is a salad that originated in the French city of Nice. It is traditionally made of tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, olives and anchovies or tuna, dressed with olive oil, or a vinaigrette. It has been popular since the early 20th century, and there have been many attempts to modernize the original recipe. But British chef Delia Smith once called it “one of the best combinations of salad ingredients ever invented“.

Daube à la Niçoise is a hearty and tasty beef stew that is delicious served with pasta, gnocchi or mashed potatoes. Consisting of braised beef, carrots, onions and tomatoes with a splash of red wine (of course), it will delight the whole family (vegans excepted!).
And it is perfect for a long Sunday lunch during the cooler weather. Accompanied by a bottle of red Bellet wine from Nice.

The name Aïoli comes from the Provençal language and is a combination of the two words “ail” (garlic) and “òli” (oil). It seems the recipe dates back as far as the Roman Empire and ancient Egypt. The original sauce only contained those two ingredients but today, chefs sometimes add an egg yolk, some lemon juice and even a spoon of mustard.
You will most often come across it as a side dish when you order a cod fish (also known as Aïoli, just to make things a bit more confusing!).

Bouillabaisse is probably the most iconic specialty of the South of France. This dish, originally from the Mediterranean town of Marseilles,  consists of a selection of fish, served with a tasty fish soup and boiled potatoes. To have the full experience, you have to rub fresh garlic onto croûtons, add some rouille (garlic mayonnaise flavoured with saffron and red pepper) on top and delicately put them in the fish stew. Time to enjoy!

Soupe au Pistou is a summer vegetable soup that is a firm favourite among locals in Provence. Green beans, zucchini, potatoes and tomatoes are the mainstay of the soup base, with pasta and pistou (a blend of crushed garlic, olive oil and basil) then added to the mix. Although not mentioned in the traditional recipe, some chefs may also include carrots and grated Parmesan cheese, a nod to pesto, its Italian neighbour. If you would like to make your own, here is Jamie Oliver’s delicious Pistou Soup.

The Petits Farçis are a very colourful classic dish you will come across in Provence and all along the Mediterranean coast. First, you take out the inside of vegetables, usually tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers or onions. Then you stuff them (farçis means stuffed or filled) with a mixture of minced meat (most typically veal or beef and ham), egg, soft white bread soaked in milk and cheese.  You sprinkle breadcrumbs on top before putting them in the oven until they get golden and crispy.

The Tarte Tropézienne is a traditional pastry from Saint-Tropez. It is half-way between a brioche and a cake, sliced in half, then filled with crème patissière and buttercream. Sometimes in summer, chefs add strawberries or raspberries to the filling, which is yummy.
We actually owe the original recipe to Alexandre Micka, a pastry chef from Poland who arrived in Provence in 1952. He first opened a patisserie in Sainte-Maxime before moving to Saint-Tropez. In 1955, he was part of the catering team for the iconic Roger Vadim film Et Dieu Créa la Femme with Brigitte Bardot which was shot in Saint-Tropez. She was so won over by this pastry that she suggested he name it Tarte de Saint-Tropez. The pastry chef finally settled on Tarte Tropézienne. And the rest is history.