Abruzzo
Abruzzo is one of Italy's little-known treasures: a tranquil mingling of mountains and coastline, it is sparsely populated and rarely visited by tourists. Home to one of Italy's highest peaks (the Gran Sasso, at an altitude of over 9,500 feet) and a busy port (Pescara, the most populous city in the region), it boasts a rich repertoire of robust mountain dishes and an abundance of seafood specialties. The regional capital is L'Aquila, a charming city with a view of the Gran Sasso that was founded by Frederick II of Swabia in 1254; today, L'Aquila is home to 70,000 people. Near L'Aquila is the Parco Nazionale dell'Abruzzo, an enormous natural reserve (about 200 square miles) where hundreds of rare animal species roam free. Other important Abruzzese cities are Teramo (whose first-century A.D. Roman theater is still used to host shows), Chieti (an ancient Roman settlement), and, from a culinary standpoint, the village of Villa Santa Maria (where some of Italy's finest chefs honed the art of Italian cuisine).
Abruzzo: Food Traditions
In some ways, Abruzzese cuisine is the undiscovered treasure of Italian gastronomy. While tourists rhapsodize over Tuscan cuisine and Italians wax poetic over Emilian cuisine, few have truly delved into the flavors of Abruzzo's kitchen. Abruzzese cooks are masters at turning simple ingredients (perhaps a handful of freshly plucked beans from the garden plot, gleaming black mussels, golden noodles) into glorious feasts.
They flavor their dishes with hot chili pepper, aromatic saffron, fruity olive oil. Pasta is the preferred Abruzzese first course, and none is as typical as maccheroni alla chitarra ("guitar pasta"): sheets of egg dough are cut using a flat rolling pin on a wooden box with strings (hence the name "guitar"). Crêpes (called scrippelle) are rolled around savory fillings, dropped into broths, or layered with cheese, vegetables, and meat before baking. Polenta is usually enjoyed with a spicy sausage ragù or hearty meat sauce. In port cities, just-caught fish is marinated in a vinegary brine, and rich soups are concocted from dozens of types of fish. In the mountains, sheepherding remains a common way to make a living, so lamb, kid, sheep, and mountain goat are mainstays of the diet; wine, garlic, olive oil, and rosemary are favorite flavorings, especially when the source of heat is a lively wood fire. Many families still raise their own pigs, and free-roaming pigs yield flavorful, lean meat and tasty salumi (cured meats). Pastries tend to be unsophisticated: olive oil is often used instead of butter, nuts or dried fruit provide bulk and flavor, and sheep's milk ricotta, a favorite in central and southern Italy, shows up in fritters and sweet cakes.
La Panarda
The most interesting Abruzzese culinary tradition is la panarda, a multi-course feast of gargantuan proportions. A legend holds that la panarda was born when a young mother, gone to fetch water near her home, returned to find her newborn in the mouth of a wolf. Desperate, the woman prayed to Saint Anthony of Abate, and the wolf let the baby go. The grateful young mother promised to prepare a feast for Saint Anthony, starting a tradition that would be passed down from generation to generation for centuries to come. Most panarde consist of 35 to 50 courses and last all night, thus enabling guests to partake of every dish at a leisurely pace. The mountain town of Villavallelonga has preserved its panarda traditions more fervently than others, and local families still host the feast on an annual basis. To go to Villavallelonga, take Highway 25 to the Celano exit, then follow the road to Trasacco and look for Villavallelonga.
Abruzzo: Recipes
Agnello, Cacio e Uova
Lamb in Creamy Cheese and Egg Sauce
This dish is made, with minor variations, across central and southern Italy, especially for Easter. It is boldly flavored thanks to an abundant handful of grated Pecorino and rendered velvety by the addition of eggs at the last moment. Serve it with roasted potatoes for a splendid main course.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 pounds boneless lamb, trimmed of fat and sinew, cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably from the neck or shoulder)
- 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 and 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over a medium-high flame (a terra-cotta pan is ideal, but cast iron or heavy stainless steel will do). When the oil is hot, add half of the lamb and brown it on all sides, turning often to cook evenly; it will take about 8 minutes. Remove to a plate; brown the remaining lamb in the oil left in the pan. Return all the lamb to the pan, add the onion, stir, and cook 5 minutes, or until the onion wilts.
Add the wine and cook until it evaporates, about 10 minutes. Cover; lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 1 and 1/2 hours, adding 1/4 cup of the broth every 15 minutes. Uncover; the lamb should be fork-tender (cook a little longer if it is not).
Beat the eggs with the Pecorino, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Remove the pan from the heat, transfer the lamb to a serving platter, and return the pan to the heat. Pour in the egg-Pecorino mixture, and stir gently to create a smooth, velvety sauce. Do not let the sauce boil, or it will curdle. Pour the sauce over the lamb and serve hot. Serves 6
Pepatelli
Peppery Cookies
These cookies owe their pungent bite to a good dose of freshly ground white pepper. They are a staple at Christmas in the city of Teramo and keep well for weeks in an airtight tin. Tradition dictates that they be dipped in Vino Cotto (reduced cooked wine) or sweet wine at meal's end.
- 2 cups blanched almonds
- 1 cup honey
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- pinch of salt
- grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup cake or pastry (low-protein) flour, plus extra if needed
Preheat the oven to 325°. Line an 11- x 17-inch baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, grind the almonds until fine and powdery, being careful not to overprocess them or they will turn into a paste; turn out into a bowl.
Pour the honey into a 1-quart pot and heat over a medium flame until it is boiling. Add the ground almonds, pepper, salt, and orange zest, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine thoroughly. Add the flour by the tablespoon until a firm, solid dough forms, stirring all the while; you may not need all of the flour. (If a dough fails to form, add more flour by the tablespoon until the ingredients gather around the spoon.) Cool the dough to room temperature.
Transfer the cooled dough to a counter, cut it into 8 pieces, and shape each piece into a flat 2-inch-wide log. Place the logs on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, and bake 25 minutes, or until set but still pale. Cool 5 minutes, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick slices with a serrated knife. Cool on a tray and store in an airtight tin for up to 4 weeks. Makes 48
Additional Recipes from Abruzzo
Published in Rustico: Regional Italian Country Cooking by Micol Negrin, published by Clarkson N. Potter:
- Cinnamon-Scented Pie Stuffed with Prosciutto, Cheese, and Eggs
- "Guitar Pasta" in Lamb and Sweet Pepper Ragù
- Scamorza Ravioli in Saffron Cream Sauce
- Polenta Topped with Sausages in Spicy Tomato Sauce
- Delicate Cheese-Filled Crêpes in Broth (pictured)
- Fried Skate in Aromatic Vinegar Marinade
- Chicken with Roasted Peppers and Onions
- Lamb Scaloppine with Black Olives and Lemon
- Tuna-Filled Artichokes
- Chocolate-Covered Almond Cake
Abruzzo: Wine
One of Italy's largest producers of wine (it ranked fifth in the mid 1990s), Abruzzo is home to a number of first-class wines.
Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo: The region's second most important red; fruity, intense, dry, with a deep cherry color.
Controguerra: The red, dry and slightly tannic, is made mostly from Montepulciano, Merlot, and/or Cabernet Sauvignon grapes; the white, fruity and dry with a bitterish aftertaste, is made mostly from Trebbiano Toscano and Passerina grapes, and is vinified both still and frizzante.
Montepulciano d'Abruzzo: Abruzzo's most important red, vinified from 85 percent Montepulciano grapes; plummy, velvety, and dry, it ages well and is ideal alongside red meats and aged cheeses.
Trebbiano d'Abruzzo: Delicate, dry white wine vinified principally from Bombino Bianco grapes.
Abruzzo: Cheeses
Whether you enjoy mild, creamy cow's milk cheeses or tangy, firm sheep's milk cheeses, Abruzzo offers something for everyone. Unfortunately, as in most of the less-traveled regions, the most interesting cheeses are only available in Italy; so far, Scamorza is the only one widely sold in North America.
Cacio Marcetto ("Little Rotten Cheese"): Pecorino fermented in sheep's milk until tiny flies (still at the larval stage) develop; production is now banned. A similar cheese is found in other regions.
Caciofiore Aquilano: Sheep's milk Caciotta coagulated with vegetable rennet obtained from wild cardoons; colored and flavored with saffron.
Cacioricotta Abruzzese: Sheep's milk Ricotta; flavored with coffee and lemon zest, eaten on feast days.
Caciotta d'Abruzzo: Cow's or sheep's milk cheese; can be young or aged, and is sometimes flavored with chili pepper.
Pecorino d'Abruzzo: Sheep's milk cheese, enjoyed as a table cheese or cooked; older specimens can be aged 2 years and are quite pungent.
Scamorza: Pear-shaped plastic curd cheese (same family as Mozzarella) made from cow's milk; buttery and delicate, it is meant to be eaten within 3 days of production. The best Scamorza is said to come from the town of Rivisondoli. The smoked version is usually grilled or spit-roasted.
Abruzzo: Cured Meats
Many families in Abruzzo still raise pigs, and every winter the pig slaughter yields succulent hams, salamis, and sausages. Families who don't raise their own pigs stock up on savory cured meats at their favorite salumeria, the Italian equivalent of the delicatessen. All of the cured meats listed below are available only in Italy, since they don't meet FDA regulations; most are made of pork, but some, like the famous salami of Anversa, are made of sheep's meat.
Fegato Dolce ("Sweet Liver"): Pork liver in casings; flavored with honey.
Fegato Pazzo ("Crazy Liver"): Pork liver in casings; flavored with chili.
Fiaschetta Aquilana: Smoked pork salami.
Lonza: Sausage from the shoulder and neck of the pig; spiced, salted, and hung to dry, aged for a minimum of 2 months. Called Capocollo elsewhere.
Mortadella di Campotosto: Finely ground pork sausage threaded with a wide strip of lard; also called Coglioni di Mulo ("Mule's Balls").
Prosciutto di Basciano: Ham that benefits from the fresh mountain breeze of the Gran Sasso; flavored with chili and aged 1 year.
Salame di Pecora: Salami made of sheep's meat; rare except in Anversa degli Abruzzi.
Ventricina Vastese: Pork salami spiced with chili and wild fennel; aged at least 3 months.
Ventricina Teramana: Spreadable pork sausage similar to the Marches' and Umbria's Ciauscolo; spiced with rosemary and chili.
Abruzzo: Visiting
"This one is very unusual," says the waiter as he sets the platter of salami on the table with a flourish. "It’s salame di pecora [sheep’s salami], very typical of Abruzzo." My husband and I are lunching at Rigoletto, a quaint restaurant in the city of Sulmona, with one goal in mind: to try as many traditional Abruzzese dishes as our combined appetites will allow. Owner Celestino Le Donne has already brought out fresh mozzarella, battered and fried zucchini blossoms, and marinated eggplants as part of our antipasto selection. After we polish off the salame di pecora, which is really quite delicate, Celestino emerges from the kitchen carrying his signature dish: ravioli stuffed with Scamorza cheese in a creamy saffron sauce. The waiter refills our wine glasses, gliding away silently, leaving us to marvel over one of the most perfect plates of pasta we have ever savored.
Restaurants
Ristorante Rigoletto: Via Stazione Introdacqua 46, Sulmona, 011/39/0864/55529. Chef/owner Celestino Le Donne offers tasty Scamorza Ravioli with Saffron (Ravioli di Scamorza con Zafferano) and organizes a Panarda (50-course feast) every 2 years.
Bars/Cafes
Nurzia: Piazza Duomo 74-75, L'Aquila, 011/39/0862/21002. Historical café; buy the moist chocolate nougat the city is famous for.
Shops
Alberto Il Fornaio: Via Riccitelli 23, Teramo, 011/39/0861/242222. The best bread in town.
Cooperativa Altopiano di Navelli: Via Umberto I 17, Civitaretenga, 011/39/0862/959163. Buy Abruzzo's locally grown saffron, the black lentils of Santo Stefano, and other indigenous products here.
Food Festivals
Garlic Festival: In Torre di Nolfi and Campo di Fano, two villages in the hills above Sulmona, locals grow a red-skinned variety of garlic. Every July, the garlic is used in numerous dishes during a town-wide fest in Campo di Fano.
Not to be missed in Abruzzo
Cascate Rio Verde in Borello: Majestic waterfalls in the mountains.
Chitarra: Stringed instrument used to cut pasta; available in houseware stores across the region.
Confetti: Those made in Sulmona are most famous.
Fontana delle 99 Cannelle in L'Aquila: Thirteenth-century fountain with 99 spouts.
Grilled Scamorza Cheese: Scamorza allo Spiedo in Italian; order it in trattorie.
Sheep's Salami: Salame di Pecora in Italian; order it in trattorie, or buy it in salumerie, the Italian equivalent of delicatessens.
Skiing in Pescasseroli: The largest town in the Parco Nazionale dell'Abruzzo is a good base for skiing and other winter sports (contact the local ski school at 011/39/0863/91784 to book lessons).