Christmas is just around the corner – but this year, it will be a little bit different from the usual. For the first time in a while, my parents won’t be able to travel overseas to join me and my family for the most wonderful time of the year, and I will have to use my imagination to still make it special. I’m sure that my little Giorgio is going to miss the annual Christmas with his grandparents as well, and I want to amaze my husband at the stove. He is a real Abruzzese, like me, and we are known to be very demanding in the kitchen, especially during the holiday season.
Diving into the fond memories of my twenty-six Christmases spent in my homeland of Abruzzo, I will try to recreate the unforgettable aroma and atmosphere of such a special day, so it will feel like being at home with my family despite the miles that separate us.
Angela and her family
The cuisine of Abruzzo means deep culinary traditions. Our mountains and sea are the foundation of many recipes, which makes it harder to keep the authenticity level at 100% – mainly because of the varying quality and availability of the necessary ingredients. In spite of this, I have always tried to cook a dish as my lovely grandmother has taught me to, honoring the traditional flavors of an Abruzzese Christmas feast.
Usually, on Christmas morning, you’ll wake up to the aroma of cardone soup. It is a broth made with thistle, a plant that closely resembles the artichoke, but with thicker and more tender ribbed leaves. Here in the States, or at least on the East Coast, I’ve never been able to find this vegetable, so I just decided to leave it out of my menu to avoid any disappointing, second-rate imitations.
The Cardone soup
Fortunately, the regional cuisine of Abruzzo offers many other options to start off the holiday feast. This year, I chose scrippelle 'mbusse and the Abruzzese timballo. The scrippelle are thin crepes made with flour, eggs and water, that are then rolled up and dipped in beef and turkey broth before serving, while the timballo is a rich baked pasta dish – made famous by the movie “Big Night.”
The timballo’s recipe varies in every province of Abruzzo. The version I grew up with is a real delicacy, made from an almost infinite number of hand-made crepes and filled with ground beef, mozzarella and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, fresh tomato sauce and coarsely chopped hard-boiled eggs. As per tradition, it is not allowed to only have one piece of timballo! The “bis” (a second helping) is a must!! You definitely don't want to disappoint the cook!
For the second course, meat is king. With so many traditional recipes, it’s almost too difficult to decide between the arrosto misto, a mix of different kinds of roasted meats, the classic roasted lamb, or tacchino alla canzanese. This last dish, a delicacy from the town of Teramo, consists of a roasted turkey served cold and covered with a delicious gelatin made from the meat drippings. I usually opt for the arrosto misto for my Christmas menu, since it’s the easiest to execute, and succeed with, in my opinion.
I am known to have a sweet tooth, so desserts always take center stage for my Christmas banquets. Like the main courses, dessert recipes vary in every province of Abruzzo – and in every local community, even the smallest ones. Each town has its own Christmas desserts, such as stuffed chickpeas, mostaccioli, jam taralli, ferratelle or pizzelle (which are similar to wafers) – all of which deserve to be tasted, at least once.
The Parrozzo
My personal favorite are parrozzi and calcionetti. Mentioned by Italian poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, who exalted its deliciousness in his verses, the parrozzo is a mixture of cornmeal and almond flour, baked in a particular half-moon-shaped mold and covered with very fine dark chocolate.
Then the calcionetti – with their deliciousness that recalls the shape of traditional ravioli pasta – are truly irresistible, thanks to the crumbly dough and the filling made from soft chestnuts mixed with cinnamon, honey, nuts and chocolate.
Cagionetti
To top off the feast, I make sure to get Abruzzo “DOC” red wines. Montepulciano d'Abruzzo is my go-to choice for a good festive meal pairing.
The Abruzzese Christmas menu is an authentic jubilation of flavors, colors and aromas, where high-quality ingredients and tradition blend harmoniously. Motivated by a strong passion for the aromas and flavors of my beloved hometown, I still plan to make Christmas extra-special this year. Even if Mom and Dad won’t be here to celebrate with us physically, I still want to make them proud and happy to see that I am still an authentic “Strong and Gentle” Abruzzese woman in the kitchen.