Teramo - Gastronomy

Gastronomy

The provincial Teramo gastronomy is known for its variety and richness. Typical ingredients include agnello (lamb), peperoncino (hot pepper), formaggio pecorino (sheep milk cheeses), and slow roasted pork. Common Abruzzo wines are the renowned Montepulciano and Trebbiano d'Abruzzo.

Typical dishes from Teramo and the surrounding communities include the following:

• Scrippelle - This dish is served in the throughout the Teramo province and is somewhat similar to French crepes, although typically made without milk. There are two common variations. The first is scrippelle 'mbusse - (dialect for scrippelle in brodo or broth) and consists of scrippelle rolled up in Pecorino or Parmesan cheese and served in chicken broth. A second variation is timballo - scrippelle layered with ragù, meat or tiny meatballs (polpettine), various cheeses such as mozzarella, and sometimes peas (piselli).
• Maccheroni alla chitarra - a flat, stringlike egg pasta which takes its name from the wooden instrument, basically a wooden frame strung with fine metal wire, called a chitarra (guitar), used to cut the pasta.
• Mazzarelle d'agnello - lamb's lung and innards wrapped in beet greens or chard and braised in white wine or tomato sauce. Not for the feint of heart and not to be confused with mozzarella cheese.
• Le virtù - a vegetable soup typically prepared in May of each year to celebrate spiritual redemption and the bountiful virtues of the Earth. It is made with a wide variety of locally-grown vegetables and typically includes "annit" (a type of wild fennel).
• Tacchino alla canzanese - a dish famous in the nearby provincial town of Canzano. Made by slow baking a turkey in gelatin (and ancient method of preserving meat) and typically served cold.
• Vino cotto - a fortified wine, found also in the Marche region, produced by slowly boiling down grape juice before fermatation and aging thus producing a sweet and rich dessert-type of wine. Consumed both straight up and in cooking.
• Caggiunitti - deep fried almond fritters typically made with chocolate and chestnuts.