Abruzzo

A rustic, undiscovered region in central Italy, home of the Gran Sasso, the tallest of the Apennines and Abruzzo National Park. Good for game dishes, pecorino, saffron, and high-quality pasta: also pizzelle, coglioni di mulo and the extraordinary beany virtú. Dishes cooked all'abruzzese will often have hot peppers in it, and perhaps saffron, or just in the traditional style of the region.

The name comes from Aprutium, the Latin word for the region, probably derived from the Praetutii tribe who lived around modern Teramo.