What to taste
Abruzzo has a rich culinary tradition, with various traditions attached to each province.
The maccheroni alla chitarra are highly-renowned (home-made pasta cut on a machine with thin steel blades), while scrippelle are thin strips of pasta eaten in soup, typical to Teramo. On the coast, most first courses are fish-based, often made with tomato to enchance the taste of "poor man's fish," often found on the shores of ancient fishing villages.
As for the second courses, the typical recipe of Chieti is scapece, pickled fried fish. Guazzetto or fish broth is also heavily-consumed in coastal hubs, and often revisited in the zones of Teramo Province.
Other than sea fare, one will find plenty of lamb, kid, and mutton, while pork loin, prosciutto, lonza, ventricina, and other typical salamis are produced locally. If it's meat you are looking for, you have come to the right place. The ighly sought-out smoked meats from the Abruzzese Mountains are the forte here.
A typical meal in Abruzzo is accompanied by a selection of the best wines of the Region: Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Sangiovese and Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. These are both national and international favorites, esteemed for the excellent production process, quality and price. Abruzzo also features a number of organic wineries in the zones of Chieti and Teramo.
Among the desserts, often made with almonds and honey, we highlight nougat or torrone; confetti (typical sugared almonds similar to Jordan almonds, they are a specialty of Sulmona); cicerchiata, small balls of fried dough covered in honey; mostaccioli and bocconotto, typical of the Province of Chieti.
