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Local products and traditional food
 Due
to its farming and breeding traditions, and thanks
to a territory rich in woods, pastures and fertile
hills, Abruzzo offers a wide choice of different
tastes, genuine food and drinks produced by the
locals:
wines
All the wines produced in Abruzzo and labelled with
a Registered Designation of Origin (D.O.C.), such as
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, are
well-known in the foreign markets and served in the
best restaurants in the world;
spirits
The most famous and
also the strongest of all the spirits produced from
the herbs growing on the mountains of Abruzzo is the
so-called Centerbe di Tocco Casauria, followed by
Genzianella, Nocino and Ratafià (made from sour
black cherries). Several kinds of bitters are also
produced throughout the territory;
extra-virgin olive
oil
The Extra-virgin olive oil produced in Abruzzo and
labelled with a Registered Designation of Origin (D.O.C.)
compares favourably with the best Italian olive oils;
pasta
An excellent fresh-made pasta is produced all over
Abruzzo: “scrippelle”, “maccheroni alla chitarra”
and ravioli are the most traditional varieties. A
particular mention is due to Fara San Martino, home
to one of the most important Italian industries for
the production of pasta;
salami
Pork processing is very common in this region, and
this tradition gives way to the production of
excellent ham and salami, including tasty liver
sausages in oil, smoked ham, the “mortadella” from
Campotosto (also known as “coglioni di mulo”), the
sausages from Torano and the creamy “ventricina”
from the mountains of Teramo;
cheese
Sheep farming is very
popular in Abruzzo, and excellent varieties of
cheese are produced throughout the region, such as
the fresh, sweet-smelling “giuncata” (curd cheese)
from the mountains of Teramo, or “marcetto” cheese
from the area of the Gran Sasso mountain. The most
important place for goat’s milk cheese is Farindola.
Cow’s milk is also used to make excellent dairy
products, such as the traditional “scamorza” or
“mozzarella” cheese and “caciocavallo” cheese.
An excellent variety of caciotta cheese is produced
mixing cow and sheep’s milk;
fruits
Abruzzo is a fertile
region: good quality fruit, such as cherry and
grapes, is grown on the hills of Raiano and Ortona,
while strawberry, blueberry, blackberry and
raspberry are grown in the mountains;
truffles
the province of Teramo
and the Marsica region are both rich in black
truffle, which is the most popular variety in
Abruzzo besides the white one;
saffron
Saffron is a very
precious product from the Navelli plateau, on the
Gran sasso mountains;
honey
Honey is produced
almost everywhere in Abruzzo, and its excellent
quality is due to an unpolluted, well preserved
environment. Acacia, “millefiori”, French
honeysuckle and chestnut honey are very popular;
cakes and biscuits
The list of traditional
cakes and biscuits from Abruzzo is endless:
“mostaccioli”, “caggiunitti”, “ferratele”, “cicerchiata”,
“zeppole”, “taralli”, “parrozzo”, “pan ducale”, “
bocconotto”, “ pan dell’orso”, “ dolce angelo”, “
tatù” and the well-known confetti from Sulmona are
just a few names.
“Maccheroni alla chitarra”, “sagnacce”, “scrippelle”
and ravioli are the most popular varieties of pasta
produced working the excellent durum wheat harvested
on the hills with the clean waters from the
mountains. Local dishes are commonly served with
“ragu” , a meat sauce made with beef, pork, mutton
or duck. “Maccheroni alla mulinara”, “rentrocelo”,
“tondini” and ravioli stuffed with ricotta cheese
are also very popular in Abruzzo. Thistle soup and
“le virtù” (made of 7 different varieties of legumes
mixed with 7 different types of fresh vegetables, 7
kinds of pasta and pork rind) are particularly tasty.
" Pan cotto” and “ciautelle” , whose main ingredient
is bread, belong to the traditional, simple cooking
of Abruzzo.
Due to its strong folk
traditions, meat has a relevant place in the
gastronomy of Abruzzo. Lamb is the main ingredient
of several dishes: “agnello incaporchiato” (served
with roast potatoes), lamb tripe, “matassine” or
“torcinelli” (lamb offal and bacon rolled in lamb’s
guts,cooked on the spit or in lettuce leaves),“pecora
alla cottora” and “pecora alla callara” are all
highly recommended. Beef, veal, rabbit and pork also
make excellent quality dishes such as: “ ‘ndocca
‘ndocca” (pork snout, feet, chops and rind), “
tacchino alla canzanese” (turkey dish) and “coniglio
‘mbriache” (a tasty rabbit stew in white wine sauce).
The fresh fish from the Adriatic sea is also worth
mentioning for its excellent quality. Besides “pizza
dolce” and “cicerchiata” cakes, “cagiunitti”, “fichi
maritati” and “le sise delle monache”are highly
recommended traditional biscuits.
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