The typical dishes of the Trabocchi Coast

The Trabocchi Coast is as beautiful to see as it is good “to eat”. It is famous for its trabocchi (the ancient “fishing machines” positioned on the water like stilts, most of which now house restaurants), enchanting seascapes, crystal-clear sea and naturalistic beauty, but also and especially for the rich gastronomic tradition, which skillfully mixes sea and land flavors.

What to eat on the Trabocchi Coast? Here is a selection of typical dishes that, in our opinion, you cannot miss!

FIRST COURSES

Among the most popular pasta shapes are spaghetti alla chitarra, which are particularly large, with a square cross-section. They might resemble fettuccine but are actually thicker and less wide. The dough is made from durum wheat semolina flour, eggs and salt. A special instrument called a “guitar” is used to make them, which consists of a wooden frame on which parallel steel wires are stretched. Tradition dictates that they are topped with lamb ragout or other robust sauces. Among the first courses, it is then a must to taste sagne e fasciul, the Abruzzese version of pasta and beans, found on the menus of all trattorias and restaurants in the region. Sagne are thick strips of pasta of various sizes made from durum wheat semolina and wheat flour. A variation of the dish is with chickpeas (instead of beans) cooked in a stew and onions. In addition to these two first courses, we recommend that you try scrippelle ‘mbusse, which means “wet” in dialect. They are nothing more than thin crepes rolled like cannelloni and served in broth, usually chicken broth. But they can also be used to prepare a timbale.

SECOND DISHES

As for seconds, one is spoiled for choice. The main dish is, of course, arrosticini, originally known as rustell’, rustelle or arrustelle. The original ones are made of mutton and barbecued. According to legend it was two Voltigno shepherds who “invented” them to recover the meat of older sheep that would otherwise be inedible. Among the fish main courses, however, the brodetto alla vastese, “lu vrudatte” as it is called in dialect, one of the simplest and tastiest dishes of local seafood cuisine, stands out. This is a delicious soup, colored with fresh tomatoes, the preparation of which involves the use of at least nine to ten varieties of fish. The secret? Using what the sea offers. Other main courses most common in the tradition of the area include: the pallotte cace e ove, or patties made of stale bread, cheese and eggs (no meat), then topped with tomato sauce; the vastese-style mussels, stuffed with a mixture of breadcrumbs, chopped parsley and garlic, grated cheese, oil and tomato sauce; the pizz’ e foje, a kind of pizza made with cornmeal that is accompanied by field vegetables (foje, precisely), wild and wild herbs; and the cif e ciaf, a pork stew to be eaten together with corn pizza.

SWEETS

The Trabocchi Coast also has a lot to offer when it comes to desserts. The flagship of the local confectionery tradition is undoubtedly bocconotto, the delicious shortbread treat filled with chocolate, almonds and cinnamon, and dusted with powdered sugar. Its origin dates back to the late 18th century, coinciding with the spread of cocoa in Europe. Another typical sweet of the area is the nevola di Ortona, a crumbly cone-shaped rolled wafer whose main ingredient is cooked must. It is generally served alone but sometimes also stuffed. Finally, you cannot leave the Trabocchi Coast without trying: the parrozzo, one of Abruzzo’s most famous desserts, made of almonds and semolina, and covered entirely in dark chocolate; and the celli pieni, delicious treats filled with a rich mixture of orange peel, almonds and Montepulicano grape jam.