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Screpelle ‘mbusse – Crepes in broth
Abruzzesi have a predilection for crepes. They appeared in our region around 1798, during the French occupation, and have remained part of our cuisine ever since. Crepes, called screpelle or scripelle, turn up in scrumptious timballi (timbales), as wrappers (instead of pasta) in cannelloni, and folded around dessert mousses and souffles.
Food and Memories of Abruzzo by Anna Teresa Callen
Some things just say Abruzzo, and this is one of them – light crespelle, filled with a combination of Parmigiano and Pecorino cheeses, rolled and set in a bowl of chicken broth. There are a lot of happy accidents in the world of food and beverages. There’s puff pastry where the chef forgot the butter and added it at the last moment, and voila, my favorite pastry was born. Or the Negroni sbagliato born of barman Mirko Stocchetto’s mixing error – the Milanese barman added Prosecco instead of gin while building his patron’s Negroni. Thank the God of Drink for that one. Read the remainder of this entry »
Parrozzo – Christmas Almond Cake from Abruzzo
Here’s one I have never seen in a bakery in California – Abruzzo’s Christmas classic – Parrozzo, a specialty of Pescara, where my grandfather was born. This dome shaped almond cake glazed with chocolate gets its name from Pane rozzo, a sweet rustic bread made by the shepherds of Abruzzo. Read the remainder of this entry »
Maccheroni alla Chitarra con Ragù d’Agnello
From Abruzzo comes Guitar Cut Pasta with Lamb Ragù
Abruzzo – from the majestic Gran Sasso to its beaches on the Adriatic Sea this part of Italy has postcard perfect terrain. To walk in the mountains of Abruzzo is to walk the age old route of the transumanza – the seasonal sheep migration, and indeed, sheep figure prominently in the socioeconomic history of this region and its cuisine.
Gaetano Alfonso Crocetti
Born 1894 Montesilvano, arrived New York 1913, died 1967 Los Angeles, California
My grandfather, Gaetano Crocetti was born in Montesilvano, Abruzzo. He loved the food of his homeland, and although I have written previously about Ferratelle, the Abruzzese take on Pizzelle, this region has as its most singularly recognizable contribution to Italian cookery an implement known as the chitarra, a tool used to cut pasta. In her book Food and Memories of Abruzzo Anna Teresa Callen writes that this tool appears in manuscripts dating as far back as the thirteenth century.
Indeed la chitarra is part of Abruzzese culture, Read the remainder of this entry »