Page 2 - Capturing Matera News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

>> yeah, yeah. >> this ancient town grew across one slope of the rocky ravine, known locally as la gravina. and although it dates back to the 10th century bc, for many it will trigger more recent memories. >> from the last james bond movie. >> oh yeah. that has been the first movie when matera in the cinema was actually matera and not some other places. because during the '50s and the '90s, when most of the movies were shot, the old city was completely abandoned and deserted. >> really? >> and when we from matera wanted to see our old city alive, we had to go to the movie theater. >> so a lot ...

>> exactly. >> to build the church. amazing. >> poor sanitation and poverty meant disease was rampant. but little was done about it until the 1950s, when matera became a valuable tool in securing post-war funding for southern italy through america's marshall plan. all of a sudden, it was in italy's interests not just to pay attention, but to play up matera's desperate conditions. >> it became so infamous that it was nicknamed the shame of italy. can you believe that? such a beauty. >> no, it's incredible. >> the label served its purpose. money was secured, modern homes built, and the caves aba...

>> poor sanitation and poverty meant disease was rampant. but little was done about it until the 1950s, when matera became a valuable tool in securing post-war funding for southern italy through america's marshall plan. all of a sudden, it was in italy's interests not just to pay attention, but to play up matera's desperate conditions. >> it became so infamous that it was nicknamed the shame of italy. can you believe that? such a beauty. >> no, it's incredible. >> the label served its purpose. money was secured, modern homes built, and the caves abandoned. but now a new generation has emerged....

And drone view of la murgia. not just full of flavor, his recipes are loaded with symbolism, with one dish in particular capturing matera's incredible transformation. >> let me explain the meaning behind the dish. first we prepare the veal. for the noble part we use the filet, which we take like this. we sear it in a hot pan. >> veal? >> yes, just a classic veal filet. the part from which you make chateaubriand. we serve it with the poor part of the veal, the sweet bread. the glands near the throat. >> these glands, essentially offal or sweet bread, are something the materani would have eaten ...