Ciauscolo

Piccione Ripieno

Le Marche cooking is deeply routed in peasant tradition as would be expected from such a rural region. It is the sort of food and recipes that your Italian grandmother would make!

Marchigiano food, the name given to food from this region, varies from area to area. However, the basics are the same with ingredients such as wild funghi, herbs, nuts, game and the famous wild truffles which are particularly important in Le Marche.

A particularly good Antipasto is the mountain salt-cured ham and 'lonza', salt-cured fillet of pork. There is also the 'ciauscolo', a soft pork salami which can be spread on fresh bread.

You can start your 'primo piatti' with a lovely tagliatelle covered in a sugo, or meat sauce. There is also the unique pasta dish of the region called 'vincisgrassi', a rich baked lasagna without the usual tomatoes. The area near Urbino is also famous for 'passatelli' which is strands of pasta made from breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and egg cooked in broth – delicious! Of course there is always the ever present grilled meats wherever you go!

A particular Le Marche speciality is stuffed pigeons (piccione ripieno) and rabbit cooked with fennel (coniglio in porchetta). Also along the coastal region, especially by Ancona, it is worth tasting 'brodetto' which is a fish stew which must be made with 13 species of fish; exactly!

In northern Le Marche try 'piadina', a flat, unleavened bread often served with cold meats at the roadside snack areas. Cheese made from sheeps' milk, known as 'pecorino', is excellent in this area and can be enjoyed with young raw broad beans or 'fave'


Ancona Fish Stew
Serves 4-6

Approx 1.2 to 1.3 Kg cleaned, mixed fresh fish
500g mixed fresh shellfish (clams, prawns, opened scallops, mussels)
1 large finely sliced onion
3 finely chopped garlic cloves
5 tablespoons olive oil
4-5 tomatoes freshly chopped
3 tablespoons of coarsely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
Pinch of dried Chilli
Salt & Pepper

This is a traditional Brodetti, fish stew, typical of those from along the Adriatic coast.

Fillet the fish and cut into bite-sized pieces (leave whole if small). Scrub an clean the shellfish.

Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the garlic and onion and fry gently to soften. Add the fresh tomatoes and chilli. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Start adding the large pieces of fish to the sauce first, followed by the shellfish and then the small fish. Cook gently for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the fish is cooked and the mussels and clams have opened. Now add the parsley and wine vinegar. Tos the mixture gently to thoroughly mix the flavours. Add a small amount of extra virgin oil for additional flavour.

Serve with toasted bread


For Italian Vegetarian recipes click on Italian Recipes


If you would like to view our holiday accommodation in Le Marche then please click on Le Marche Villas and Apartments

To find out more about other regions in Italy, the regional food and wine, people, geography and history as well as specific property offers and other information then use this link to Italy Villas and Apartments