Welcome
to Abruzzo - Adriatic Coast
The province of Teramo boasts the strongest tradition in maintaining Abruzzan cooking history. The hallmark of Abruzzo cuisine has to be the famous “scrippelle 'm busse” or asciutte in Timballo, that is wafer-thin pancakes stuffed with cheese and cooked in hen broth or in the oven with a ragu sauce. Another traditional dish is “virtu” a soup made with vegetables, cereals, several types of pasta and meat.
Ravioli with ricotta cheese, sugar and cinnamon in a light tomato sauce. Turkey in aspic “alla canzanese” which takes its name from the village of Canzano, and we cannot forget the “mazzarelle” which is lamb offal mixed with garlic, chilli pepper and parsley, wrapped in endive leaves and cooked on the grill.
A popular regional dish is maccheroni alla chitarra. The handmade pasta is cut into square strands by pressing it through thin steel wires that are fitted on a wooden frame that resembles a guitar.
Along the coast of Teramo we find special dishes such as the brodetto, a seafood and fish soup.
The tradition of shepherding in Abruzzo means a strong connection to the use of sheep and mutton cooked in the oven or on the grill. A common dish in all the region are the arrosticini, skewers of small cuts of lamb cooked on the grill.
Added to the hearty and tasty cuisine are the excellent wines that have been awarded the only DOCG classification in the region. The wines are: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo, Trebbiano d’Abruzzo and the rare white wine Monsonico from the Val Vomano.
The gentle hills of Abruzzo are covered with olive groves and during the harvest period from the 20 October to the 10 December an excellent extra virgin olive oil is produced.
The whole region of Abruzzo is well known for the production of ham, sausages and cured meats. There are several specialities such as the smoked ham of Introdacqua and Canzano, or the mortadella from Campotosto, the sausage from Torano, the ventricina from Teramo and the special liver sausage which is often preserved in oil.
Shepherding in Abruzzo is not only brings the meat but also some fine cheeses. The Pecorino cheese - fresh or matured - and the sheep ricotta are famous. Other products from the sheep or goat milk is the giuncata, caprino and farindola.
Another most interesting and rich production of Abruzzo is the flower of the Crocus Sativus from which Saffron is obtained. The plain of Navelli between the Gran Sasso and the Sirente is the heart of this production.
Olio santo or holy oil, produced from the first pressing of the olives, is infused with Peperoncino and is often found in restaurants to add that extra spice to many dishes.
