Abruzzo, the verdant region on Italy’s eastern coast, packs so much beauty into its spot on the calve of Italy’s boot. The region runs from the Gran Sasso peak on the spine of the Apennines, east through inland high meadows, past rolling hills patchworked in fields of grain, vineyards, orchards, and groves to the coast and into the Adriatic Sea with its Tribacci. This region has distinctive wines from their indigenous grapes that pair beautifully with local dishes.
After my recent visit, thanks to the Consorzio Tutela Vini d’Abruzzo, I am home and wistfully thinking of this magical region. Perhaps I have you daydreaming of a trip, also? Well, until we can both get there, let’s do a bit of virtual travel with a bottle of wine and a regional pairing.
The wines of this region are Trebbiano d’Abruzzo, Pecorino d’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, and the new Spumante d’Abruzzo DOC Trabocco. (We will go into depth on this exciting wine in another article.)
Each of these dishes I tasted in Abruzzo, some multiple times. These are recipes that you can quickly try at home. These pairings might just become go-to’s in your household.
Pecorino d’Abruzzo & Olive All’Ascolana
Briny fried stuffed olives with a bright Pecorino is a match made in heaven. These were on most appetizer arrays on our visit. These are named for the Ascoli Piceno region in the southern part of Marche, just over the border from Abruzzo, but are enjoyed all down the coast. The olives used are large soft green olives that have been found here since the Romans.
So what are they stuffed with? That tends to vary. Soffritto (the holy trinity of carrot, celery, and onion) is often cooked with meats like beef, poultry, pork, or lamb. Sometimes tomato sauce is added, and I did hear of them being made with fish. Sometimes the meat is deglazed with red wine or liqueurs.
Once the meat and vegetables are cooked, they are ground into a paste and mixed with stale bread or bread crumbs, stock, grated hard cheese like perhaps a Pecorino from the region, lemon zest, nutmeg, and eggs.
This is stuffed in the olives, then they go through a flour, egg, and breadcrumb station, then deep fried until golden.
Of course, finding olives from Ascolana in the States is tough, so find a large green olive like a Castelvetrano. The olives should be pitted and then cut in a spiral to wrap around the filling (I’ll be honest…I got big olives and stuffed the mixture in using a chopstick! Worked for me!)
Scroll to the bottom for the recipe!
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo and Pallotte Cac e Ove
Cerasuolo is a rosé of Montepulciano from this region, and it pairs beautifully with this dish which is like a soft meatball with no meat!
Made with breadcrumbs, grated hard cheese, like pecorino, garlic, salt, pepper, and baking soda mixed with eggs and rolled into meatball-size balls. Fry them and serve with a seasoned tomato sauce.
Each that I had in Abruzzo was slightly different. Family recipes, I’m sure, and all were tasty. This simple meat-free dish is typical of cucina povera from southern Italy.
The fact that the dish is meat-free but served in a rich tomato sauce makes it perfect for accompanying a Cerasuolo.
The recipe, again, is at the bottom!
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo and Arrosticini All’Abruzzese (lamb or mutton skewers)
This is the rustic snack that everyone loves. These are super simple lamb or mutton skewers. The region is known for its sheep, and this simple dish can be quickly grilled on the fire. Simply marinate the meat in olive oil, salt, and rosemary and cook on the grill. After cooking them, wrap them in aluminum foil. This keeps them from getting stringy.
We were served these at a large dinner party in Abruzzo, and they somehow missed our table. Some of the ladies at my table who were familiar with this dish asked because this simple, delicious dish is everyone’s favorite! At last, they arrived with a ceramic crock with a collection of skewers!
This is perfect with a regional Montepulciano.
Find the recipe below!
Olive All'Ascolana
Fried stuffed olives are the perfect briny accompaniment to a Pecorino wine from Eastern Italy, like a Pecorino d'Abruzzo. I filled mine with a mixture of pork and lamb. Make a large bunch, as you won't be able to stop eating them!
Ingredients
- 1 lb large pitted green olives
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- ½ onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 rib of celery finely chopped
- Pork 2 pork chops, cubed
- 1 lb ground chicken
- ½ cup of dry white wine (I suggest using Pecorino d’Abruzzo)
- 4 eggs (separated)
- 1 cup of freshly grated hard Italian cheese *
- 2 tsp Lemon zest
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground pepper pepper
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- 2 ½ cups of breadcrumbs
- 2 cups of oil for frying
Instructions
- Cook your soffrito (carrot, celery, and onion) in the olive oil over medium-high heat until soft, 6 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the meats and cook for about 10 minutes (until cooked through.)
- Put the mixture in a food processor and blend until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine the ground meat with 2 egg yolks, the grated cheese, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Stuff the olives with this mixture, using a chopstick to pack the mixture in. (Alternatively, if your olives are smaller, you can cut them in a spiral and wrap them around a ball of the meat mixture.)
- Prepare a dredging station with a plate for the flour, one for 2 eggs whisked, and one for the breadcrumbs.
- Roll each olive in the flour to coat, dip in the egg, and then roll in the breadcrumbs.
- Heat your oil in a large, heavy pot with high sides, fry the olives in batches until brown, and drain on a paper towel.
- Serve immediately!
Notes
These are traditionally made with the soft green olives of the Ascoli Piceno region at the very bottom of Marche, on the border with Abruzzo. Any green olive will work. The bigger, the easier to stuff. I used Castelvetrano Olives, which are large and relatively easy to find. I do suggest finding them already pitted unless you enjoy pitting olives!
Traditionally these are made with a blend of 3 types of meat, but each family recipe is different. I used pork and chicken, but feel free to explore your options!
As to the cheeses, you can use Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, or perhaps Pecorino cheese from the region.
Stuffing the olives is a messy task. Embrace it and find the method that works best for you!
After breading the olives, you can put them in the fridge or freezer until you are ready to fry and serve them.
Nutrition Information
Yield
40Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 235Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 3gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 15gCholesterol 43mgSodium 299mgCarbohydrates 9gFiber 1gSugar 1gProtein 8g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Pallotte Cac e ove
Pallote Cac e ove are fried cheese and egg balls, typically served in tomato sauce. This Cucina Povera dish comes from Abruzzo and goes beautifully with a Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, the Montepulciano rosato of the region.
Ingredients
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or other hard Italian cheese like Pecorino!)
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 3 eggs
- Oil to fry in
- Your favorite tomato sauce for serving
Instructions
- Mix ½ cup of breadcrumbs, 1 cup of grated hard Italian cheese, salt, minced garlic, pepper, and a pinch of baking soda.
- Then add in 3 eggs and mix.
- Roll into balls.
- Fry in the oil and toss them in the fridge for a bit, then cook them in a pot of fresh tomato sauce for 15 minutes.
Notes
Variations of this recipe abound!
Add fresh herbs, like parsley!
You can use multiple types of hard Italian cheese. Pecorino is traditional for the region, but you can use Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, or other hard cheese, or perhaps a mixture!
Instead of breadcrumbs, you can make these the traditional way with stale bread. Use Italian bread that is at least 2 days old. Cut the crust and dip it in water. Squeeze the water out and break the bread into the cheese mixture. It will take 2 or 3 slices. Mix until it feels right!
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 231Total Fat 13gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 107mgSodium 840mgCarbohydrates 19gFiber 2gSugar 1gProtein 10g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
Arrosticini All’Abruzzese
Ingredients
- 3 lamb chops cubed
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped rosemary
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- Trip the fat cap from the lamb chops, debone, and cut into cubes.
- Place cubed lamb with olive oil, rosemary, and salt in a zip-lock bag. Allow to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- Remove and skewer the meat on 2 metal skewers.
- Grill 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Wrap immediately in aluminum foil and let rest for 5 minutes. (Wrapping them like this keeps the meat from getting stringy).
- Serve with crusty Italian bread and a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo.
Nutrition Information
Yield
2Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 432Total Fat 38gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 25gCholesterol 74mgSodium 647mgCarbohydrates 1gFiber 1gSugar 0gProtein 23g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
And an additional article on the region
You can anticipate much more to come on the people, places, foods, and wines of beautiful Abruzzo here on CrushedGrapeChronicles!
Visit Vini d’Abruzzo for more information on this beautiful region and its wines!
Robin Renken is a wine writer and Certified Specialist of Wine and WSET 3 Certified. She and her husband Michael travel to wine regions interviewing vineyard owners and winemakers and learning the stories behind the glass.
When not traveling they indulge in cooking and pairing wines with food at home in Las Vegas.
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