Main

Agnello al forno con patate

Oven-roasted lamb and potatoes

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Arrosticini

Arrosticini are a class of traditional abruzzese cuisine from the italian region of abruzzo. arrosticini (rustelle or arrustelle in the local dialects; also known as spiedini or spiducci) are typically made from castrated sheep meat, or lamb, cut in chunks and pierced by a skewer. it is cooked on a brazier with a typically elongated shape, called furnacella as it resembles a gutter. there are two main kinds of arrosticini: those made industrially, consisting of cubical chunks of meat with a side of 1 cm (0.4 inches) on skewers with a maximum length of 10 cm (4 inches); and those made by hand, for which the meat is cut with a knife in chunks of different sizes, alternated on the skewer with pieces of ovine fat. arrosticini originate from the food consumed by shepherds and other inhabitants of the mountainous areas in abruzzo within the villages of castilenti, civitella casanova, carpineto and villa celiera who were accustomed to eating even less refined food than hard sheep meat.arrosticini are often accompanied by slices of bread soaked in extra-virgin olive oil (pane 'onde). the traditional beverage accompaniment is montepulciano d'abruzzo wine. traditionally, arrosticini are eaten by pulling the meat off the skewer piece by piece using one's teeth.

Dessert, Sweet

Babà Napoletano

Yeasted rum cake, serve with whipped cream, custard, strawberries, cherries

Drink

Biferno

The biferno is a river of molise, in southern italy. its source is in the comune of bojano and during the first few kilometres of its course, it receives the waters of numerous streams which flow from the matese mountains. it runs through several comuni in the province of campobasso, forming the lake of guardialfiera and finally flows into the adriatic sea.

Dessert, Sweet

Bignè

A zeppola (italian: [ˈdzeppola]; plural: zeppole; sometimes called frittelle, and in sardinia the italianized zippole or zeppole sarde from the original sardinian tzípulas) is an italian pastry consisting of a deep-fried dough ball of varying size but typically about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. this fritter is usually topped with powdered sugar, and may be filled with custard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry cream, or a butter-and-honey mixture. the consistency ranges from light and puffy, to bread- or pasta-like. it is eaten to celebrate saint joseph's day, which is a catholic feast day.a basic recipe for zeppole, aka ricotta donuts, consists of one pound of ricotta cheese, two cups of enriched flour, five slightly beaten eggs, a pinch of salt, five tablespoons of sugar, four teaspoons of baking powder, and one teaspoon of vanilla. first, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon. then, pre-heat vegetable oil on the stove at a medium temperature. next, drop the dough, with a teaspoon, in the hot oil until it is golden brown. while it is in the oil, you should turn the pastry as it comes to the top. then, remove the zeppole from the oil and place it onto brown paper to cool. once the pastries are cooled, place a few of them in a brown paper bag with 10x powdered sugar. once they are in the bag, shake the bag until all of them are evenly coated with sugar. they should be served hot but can easily be reheated at a later time.

Main

Brodetto

Brudet, brodet or brodeto is a fish stew made in croatian regions of dalmatia, kvarner and istria, as well as along the coast of montenegro; the brodetto di pesce, or simply brodetto (broeto in lingua veneta, brudèt ad pès in romagnol dialect, el brudèt in fanese, el brudettu in portorecanatese, lu vrëdètte in sambenedettese, lu vredòtte in giulianova dialect, u' bredette in termolese, lu vrudàtte in vastese dialect) is the signature dish of almost all italian adriatic coastal cities (famous are fish stews from venetian lagoon, romagna, marche, abruzzo and molise). it consists of several types of fish stewed with spices, vegetables and red or white wine, or even vinegar and the most important aspect of brudet is its simplicity of preparation and the fact that it is typically prepared in a single pot. it is usually served with polenta or toasted bread which soaks up the fish broth, while other recipes serve it with potatoes or bread. brudets can significantly vary in style, composition and flavor, depending upon the types of ingredients and cooking styles used.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Burrino

Pear-shaped stretched curd cheese with a butter center

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Caciocavallo Silano

Semi-hard spun curd cheese made from cow's milk, from apulia, basilicata, calabria, campania and molise, italy

Dessert, Sweet

Calcioni marchigiani

Deep-fried pastries with a sweet filling made with ricotta or pecorino cheese, eggs, nuts, chocolate, lemon or orange zest

Main

Carciofi ripieni

Stuffed artichokes, filled with a mixture of breadcrumbs, anchovies, sausage, cheese, capers

Dessert, Sweet

Chiacchiere

Angel wings are a traditional sweet crisp pastry made out of dough that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons, deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. common to many european cuisines, angel wings have been incorporated into other regional cuisines (such as american cuisine) by immigrant populations. they are most commonly eaten in the period just before lent, often during carnival and on fat thursday, the last thursday before lent – not to be confused with "fat tuesday" (mardi gras), the day before the start of lent (ash wednesday). there is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give angel wings to their wives on friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck.

Dessert, Sweet

Cicerchiata

Mini fried pastry balls in honey

Dessert, Sweet

Cotognata

Quince paste

Drink

Crema di pondo

Orange and mandarin zest in alcohol with whipped sugar

Dessert, Sweet

Ferratelle

Thin waffle cookies or wafers

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Fiadone

Fiadone (corsican; pl. fiadoni) is a corsican cheesecake without bottom layer, made of brocciu, sugar, lemon zest and eggs. the fiadone can have round or rectangular shape: it is baked in oven and served cold. in the italian regions of abruzzo and molise are known as fiadoni, fiaduni or fiauni large sweet ricotta-stuffed ravioli, served mainly at easter.

Main

Gnummareddi

Grilled meat rolls made with lamb and kid goat offal with herbs and spices, there are several variations

Dessert, Sweet

Graffe

Yeasted doughnuts covered in granulated sugar, made with all-purpose flour and mashed potatoes

Dessert, Sweet

Krapfen

A berliner is a german doughnut with no central hole, made from sweet yeast dough fried in fat or oil, with a marmalade or jam filling like a jelly doughnut, and usually icing, powdered sugar or conventional sugar on top.

Main

Lepre a ciffe e ciaffe

Marinated and stewed rabbit with wine, olive oil, onion, tomatoes, parsley, bay leaves, rosemary

Main

Maccheroni alla chitarra

Spaghetti alla chitarra (italian: [spaˈɡetti ˌalla kiˈtarra]), also known as maccheroni alla chitarra, is a variety of egg pasta typical of the abruzzo region in italy, with a square cross section about 2–3 mm thick. tonnarelli are a similar pasta from lazio. ciriole is the thicker version of chitarra, approximately twice the thickness of spaghetti. it has a squared shape rather than a rounded one.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Maritozzo

Sweet bun filled with cream, may also contain dried fruit, serve with cappuccino

Breakfast

Maritozzo

Sweet bun filled with cream, may also contain dried fruit, serve with cappuccino

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mateca

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Mela limoncella

Apple

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Molise

Extra virgin olive oil made from aurina, gentile di larino, leccino and oliva nera di colletorto olives, from molise, italy

Dessert, Sweet

Mostaccioli

Mustacciuoli (also known as mustaccioli or mostaccioli) is a traditional pastry from naples, usually served at christmas time. mustaccioli takes the form of a parallelogram, and consist of a soft, spiced, cake-like interior, covered in chocolate. in recent years, they are many variations of mostaccioli sold in naples, where the chocolate glaze may be replaced by a white chocolate frosting or icing sugar and candied fruit. mustacciolis are often sold alongside other neapolitan sweets including roccocò, raffiuoli, susamielli, and struffoli at christmas time.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Olive oil

Olive oil is a liquid fat obtained from olives (the fruit of olea europaea; family oleaceae), a traditional tree crop of the mediterranean basin, produced by pressing whole olives and extracting the oil. it is commonly used in cooking: for frying foods or as a salad dressing. it can be found in some cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuels for traditional oil lamps. it also has additional uses in some religions. the olive is one of three core food plants in mediterranean cuisine; the other two are wheat and grapes. olive trees have been grown around the mediterranean since the 8th millennium bc. spain accounts for almost half of global olive oil production; other major producers are portugal, italy, tunisia, greece, morocco and turkey. per capita consumption is highest in greece, followed by italy and spain. the composition of olive oil varies with the cultivar, altitude, time of harvest, and extraction process. it consists mainly of oleic acid (up to 83%), with smaller amounts of other fatty acids including linoleic acid (up to 21%) and palmitic acid (up to 20%). extra virgin olive oil is required to have no more than 0.8% free acidity and is considered to have favorable flavor characteristics.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pampanella

Small cuts of pork with garlic and sweet and spicy paprika

Main

Parmigiana di melanzane

Parmigiana (, italian: [parmiˈdʒaːna]), also called parmigiana di melanzane [parmiˈdʒaːna di melanˈdzaːne; -ˈtsaːne], melanzane alla parmigiana [melanˈdzaːne; -ˈtsaːne ˌalla parmiˈdʒaːna], or eggplant parmesan, is an italian dish made with fried, sliced eggplant layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked. the origin of the dish is claimed by the southern regions of calabria, campania, and sicily. other variations found outside italy may include chicken, veal, or another type of meat cutlet or vegetable filling.

Dessert, Sweet

Parrozzo

Parrozzo (italian pronunciation: [parˈrɔttso]) or panrozzo [pan ˈroddzo] is a traditional cake from the abruzzo region of italy. it is traditionally served as a christmas dessert, but it's also enjoyed year round. parrozzo is officially designated as a traditional food product of abruzzo.

Dessert, Sweet

Pastarelle molisane

Soft cookies made with lemon peel, commonly dunked in coffee or milk

Dessert, Sweet

Pastiera napoletana

Pastiera napoletana (pronounced [paˈstjɛːra], neapolitan: [paˈstjeːrə]) is a type of neapolitan tart made with cooked wheat, eggs, ricotta cheese, and flavoured with orange flower water. it is usually eaten at easter.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Pecorino

Pecorino cheeses are hard italian cheeses made from sheep's milk. the name "pecorino" derives from pecora which means sheep in italian.

Drink

Pentro

Dessert, Sweet

Pepatelli

Almond biscotti, made with honey, ground pepper, cocoa, orange zest, common during christmas

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Peperoni al forno

Oven baked sweet peppers, for example, baked with vegetables, stuffed and baked

Main

P’lenta d’iragn

Polenta made with potatoes and wheat served with tomato sauce

Main

Polenta alla molisana

Polenta topped with pork ragu and pecorino cheese

Main

Polenta maritata

Polenta with sausage, cheese, chili peppers, butter

Main

Polpi in purgatorio

Spicy octopus stew with tomatoes, garlic, parsley and hot peppers

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ricotta di Bufala Campana

Ricotta (pronounced [riˈkɔtta] in italian) is an italian whey cheese made from sheep, cow, goat, or italian water buffalo milk whey left over from the production of other cheeses. like other whey cheeses, it is made by coagulating the proteins that remain after the casein has been used to make cheese, notably albumin and globulin. ricotta (literally meaning "recooked", "refined") protein can be harvested if the whey is first allowed to become more acidic by additional fermentation (by letting it sit for 12–24 hours at room temperature). then the acidified whey is heated to near boiling. the combination of low ph and high temperature denatures the protein and causes it to flocculate, forming a fine curd. once cooled, it is separated by passing the liquid through a fine cloth, leaving the curd behind. ricotta curds are creamy white in appearance, and slightly sweet in taste. the fat content changes depending on the milk used. in this form, it is somewhat similar in texture to some cottage cheese variants, though considerably lighter. it is highly perishable. however, ricotta also is made in aged varieties which are preservable for much longer.

Dessert, Sweet

Roccocò

Ring-shaped spice cookies made with citrus zest and almonds, common during christmas

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Rustico

A rustico (plural: rustici) is a snack in the southern italian region of salento made with puff pastry and stuffings that vary by style. a common preparation uses puff pastry, tomato, and mozzarella. it is part of the salentine street food tradition and can be found in every apulian bar, bakery, and rotisserie. it is produced with two discs of puff pastry, the lower disk is of about 10 cm (approximately 4 inch) in diameter and the upper one of 12 cm (about 5 inch), to which adds cheese and tomato. then it is brushed with egg and baked in the oven. it should be eaten warm to best appreciate the taste and the melted mozzarella. in salento it is usually eaten as a mid-morning or evening snack, both in summer and winter. the wurstel variant of the pastry is the best known in salento as well as northern italy as a whole (perhaps due austrian culinary influence).

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Sagne e fagioli

Tagliatelle pasta and beans in a thick soup or sauce made with tomato, onion, garlic, chili peppers

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Salamini Italiani alla Cacciatora

Small minced pork sausages from duroc, landrace and italian large white pigs reared in friuli-venezia giulia, veneto, lombardy, piedmont, emilia-romagna, umbria, tuscany, marche, abruzzo, lazio and molise, italy

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Salsiccia ferrazzanese

Sausage with fennel and chilies

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Scamorza

Scamorza (italian pronunciation: [skaˈmɔrtsa]) is a southern italian cow's milk cheese. it can also be made from other milks, but that is less common. it is a stretched-curd cheese, in which the fresh curd matures in its own whey for several hours to allow acidity to develop through the conversion of lactose to lactic acid. artisanal cheese makers generally form the cheese into a round shape, and then tie a string around the mass one third of the distance from the top, and hang it to dry. the resulting shape is pear-like. this is sometimes referred to as "strangling" the cheese. the cheese is usually white unless smoked. when smoked, the color is almond with a lighter interior. scamorza can be substituted for mozzarella in most dishes, but the resulting taste will be much stronger and more dominant. it is reputed to melt better in baking. using the smoked variety (scamorza affumicata) adds a nice background flavor in replacement of mozzarella.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Scrippelle

Crepes, used in scrippelle 'mbusse (crepes in broth) and timballo abruzzese (crepe lasagna)

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Soppressata

Soppressata is an italian dry salami. although there are many variations, two principal types are made: a cured dry sausage typical of basilicata, apulia, and calabria, and a very different uncured salame, made in tuscany and liguria. it is still part of southern italian cultural heritage that local people (especially in the smaller rural towns) slaughter the pig themselves and use it all, with nothing going to waste, using some parts to make cured meats including soppressata. soppressata is sometimes prepared using ham.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Sott'olio

Vegetables, fish, preserved in olive oil and vinegar, made with anchovies, tuna, artichokes, onions, chili peppers, dried tomatoes

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Taralli

Taralli are toroidal italian snack foods, common in the southern half of the italian peninsula. a cracker similar in texture to a breadstick, a pretzel, a bublik, a sushki or baranki, and taralli can be sweet or savory. sweet taralli are sometimes glazed with sugar. savory taralli may be flavored with onion, garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, fennel, pepper, chili or just salt. sweet and plain taralli are often dunked in wine.

Dessert, Sweet

Taralli

Taralli are toroidal italian snack foods, common in the southern half of the italian peninsula. a cracker similar in texture to a breadstick, a pretzel, a bublik, a sushki or baranki, and taralli can be sweet or savory. sweet taralli are sometimes glazed with sugar. savory taralli may be flavored with onion, garlic, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, fennel, pepper, chili or just salt. sweet and plain taralli are often dunked in wine.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Ventricina

Ventricina is a pork sausage commonly found in the abruzzo region of central italy. it is similar to certain luncheon meats, included in the category english-speakers from the united states refer to as "cold cuts". it is traditionally made using relatively low grade, very fatty pig meat cuts and encasing them in the animal's intestines or stomach while they cure. there are two principal types of ventricina: those of the area in and around the city of teramo, and others coming from the area of vasto.

Side, Snack, Appetizer

Vitellone bianco dell'Appennino centrale

Chianina, romagnola and marchigiana cows and bullocks reared in abruzzo, campania, emilia-romagna, lazio, marche, molise, tuscany and umbria, italy

Dessert, Sweet

Zeppole

A zeppola (italian: [ˈdzeppola]; plural: zeppole; sometimes called frittelle, and in sardinia the italianized zippole or zeppole sarde from the original sardinian tzípulas) is an italian pastry consisting of a deep-fried dough ball of varying size but typically about 4 inches (10 cm) in diameter. this fritter is usually topped with powdered sugar, and may be filled with custard, jelly, cannoli-style pastry cream, or a butter-and-honey mixture. the consistency ranges from light and puffy, to bread- or pasta-like. it is eaten to celebrate saint joseph's day, which is a catholic feast day.a basic recipe for zeppole, aka ricotta donuts, consists of one pound of ricotta cheese, two cups of enriched flour, five slightly beaten eggs, a pinch of salt, five tablespoons of sugar, four teaspoons of baking powder, and one teaspoon of vanilla. first, mix all of the ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon. then, pre-heat vegetable oil on the stove at a medium temperature. next, drop the dough, with a teaspoon, in the hot oil until it is golden brown. while it is in the oil, you should turn the pastry as it comes to the top. then, remove the zeppole from the oil and place it onto brown paper to cool. once the pastries are cooled, place a few of them in a brown paper bag with 10x powdered sugar. once they are in the bag, shake the bag until all of them are evenly coated with sugar. they should be served hot but can easily be reheated at a later time.

Dessert, Sweet

Zuccotto

Zuccotto (pronounced [dzukˈkɔtto, tsuk-]) is an italian dessert with origins in florence. zuccotto is a semi-frozen, chilled dessert made with alchermes, cake and ice cream. it can be frozen, then thawed before serving. this dessert is traditionally made in a special pumpkin-shaped mold (zuccotto means "little pumpkin" in italian). it is widely believed to have been inspired by the dome of florence's duomo (the city's main cathedral). others allude to its shape as closely resembling a cardinal's skullcap or zucchetto.

Main

Zuppa di cardi

Thistle soup, common during christmas