|
|
Abruzzo Salami |
Recipes
| Wine |
Travel | Italian Food
 Food in Abruzzo
Diavolicchio - Photo © comma?
The local word for chili pepper is diavolicchio or diavolillo and it is
the protagonist of nearly all Abruzzesi dishes. It is in the local pasta dish
maccheroni alla chitarra, in the succulent 'ndocca 'ndocca, as
well as in simpler pasta sauces and all pork products.
The Abruzzo's version of brodetto, the fish soup made along the length of the
Adriatic coast, is flavored with tomatoes, garlic, onion and bay leaves. Unlike
other versions of brodetto it contains no saffron, which is surprising since the
crocus from which saffron is extracted is extensively cultivated near the
capital of the region, Aquila. In fact saffron appears in only one local
Abruzzo dish,
scapece - pickled fish, which is fried and then preserved under saffron-
flavored white vinegar in wooden barrels.
The origins of this dish go back over the centuries to the Greeks, who landed on the
coast but never penetrated into the interiors as they did in other regions.
Pasta-making was once a craft but is now a large-scale industry, with local
brands in strong competition with those from Naples. It is the tradition that
has made the modern Abruzzo product so successful, as well as the high- quality
durum-wheat grown locally.
Specialty Foods of Abruzzo
 Peperoncino This red chili pepper, known to the people of Abruzzo as diavolino, or little devil, is a key ingredient in the local cuisine. It spices up everything from brodetto alla pescarese, a fish soup made in the fishing port city of Pescara, to the time-honored spaghetti aglio, olio, e peperoncino (spaghetti with olive oil, garlic and chili).
Maccheroni alla chitarra is an egg pasta that is
made with a chitarra, a rectangular beech-wood frame, over which
fine metal strings, like those on a guitar, are stretched. The thinly rolled
pasta dough is laid over the strings and pushed through with a rolling pin,
cutting the dough into uniformly fine, long strands. Traditionally, the
maccheroni is served with a lamb, tomato and peperoncino
sauce, sprinkled with the local Abruzzo's Pecorino cheese.
Saffron is another seasoning
that makes an appearance on the Abruzzi menu. The Abruzzi is Italy's
principal source of saffron, with the majority of it grown for export. Worth
more than its weight in gold - it takes approximately 130,000 flowers to
produce just two pounds - saffron is used respectfully and sparingly by
judicious Abruzzo's cooks.
The L'Aquila
Saffron DOP
Parrozzo is a famous local
dessert, a soft cake made with flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and almonds,
covered with chocolate. It was a favorite of the poet Gabriele d'Annunzio, a
native of Pescara, who supposedly gave the cake its name (which derives from
pan rozzo, a round bread of the countryside) and sang its praises
in verse.
Confetti The town of Sulmona,
Italy's confectionary capital since the Renaissance, is known for producing
the country's best confetti, or sugar-coated Jordan almonds. These
tasty, colorful treats are transformed (using silk, plastic, colored paper,
wire, and other accessories) into flowers, blossoms, exotic fruits, and many
other imaginative arrangements. Confetti are a common sight at
weddings and christenings, where they are given to guests in elaborate bags
festooned with ribbons.
Cent'erbe is the most powerful
of all Italian liqueurs. Emerald green in color, with a high alcoholic
content, it was first produced by herbalists of Abruzzo from various plants
indigenous to the alpine region of Abruzzo; hence its name, "one hundred
herbs."
© 1997-2010 Enrico Massetti
TangoItalia - Food, Wine, Travel, and... tango in Italy.
|
