The typical appetizer of the region is cold and it is possible to compose a wide variety of cold cuts and local cheeses such as Fabriano salami, salami sausage, ham, ciauscolo, lonza, loin, Carpegna ham, the ciarimbolo, the coppa marchigiana, the mazzafegato, the galantina, the migliaccio, the salame of sheep, the aromatized ham of Montefeltro, the suppressed salami lardellato and of Frattula, the liver sausage, the casecc, the fossa cheese, the pecorino in cask, the raviggiolo and the casciotta d’Urbino).
The cured meats and cheeses are accompanied by the crescia composed of bread dough and a round shape to be eaten with strascinated field herbs including grugni or chicory. In addition, the Easter pizza, with salted and leavened dough, in the shape of a panettone and with large pieces of cheese, usually pecorino and parmesan, is especially popular during the Easter period; on Easter day there are usually plenty of boiled eggs along with cold cuts and cheeses. .
The cheese pizza is served according to customs for breakfast together with the local recipe of mentrasto omelette, a type of mint, on Easter Monday in preparation for the traditional picnic.
Sovereign of the first Macerata and Ancona dishes are the vincisgrassi; the tradition traces its name back to a distortion of that of the Austrian general Windisch-Graetz, who fought against Napoleon: it is however a fact that the dish was already present in the aforementioned recipe book of Nebbia, where it is called princisgras. Much less opulent are the other traditional soups from Ancona and Ascoli: quadrucci with potatoes (or with broad beans, or beans and pork rinds), peciselle di Sassoferrato (large leavened spaghetti seasoned with tomato), and frescarelli ( lumps of flour cooked in water and seasoned with garlic and pecorino). Bruschetta and panzanella are bread-based dishes common in the Marche region as well as in Tuscany, Umbria and Lazio. We should also mention the passatelli, homemade pasta from the Pesaro area usually served in broth. In the Fermo area, “maccheroncini di Campofilone” are produced, to be seasoned to taste.
Among the main dishes of the center of the region we should mention the pork in porchetta, the tripe, the roast chicken “co ‘lu pilotto” (that is flavored with a thick slice of lard), the chicken with peppers, the marinated lamb, the corata of lamb and the omelette with mint (typical dishes of the Easter period).
Typical of the capital are the stockfish in potacchio all’anconitana, with tomato, anchovies. The Ascoli fry is famous, mainly composed of the Ascoli olives (stuffed with meat, breaded and fried) and the cremini (breaded and fried custard cubes).
Typical of the Pesarese area is a braised beef that has its origins more than a hundred years ago … the “fanese” made with a rotisserie of veal made in brown, in plenty of oil and then blended with white wine. The tomato paste is then added with water. It is boiled for a few hours and then left to cool. It is then cut into slices then cooked again in its tomato sauce and cooking sauce.
It is usually accompanied by mashed potatoes and mixed field herbs sautéed in a pan.
Whether or not the rumor that the Brodetto of fish born in these parts is true, it is beyond dispute that the Brodetto Marche – more delicate than those of Veneto and Romagna and more vigorous than those of Abruzzo and Puglia – is the prince of Adriatic fish soups. The “red” version of the Pesaro and the Ancona, with the tomato, differs from the “yellow” version of Ascoli, with saffron. The “capitals” of the brodetto are Fano, Ancona, San Benedetto del Tronto, Porto Recanati and Porto San Giorgio.
Marchigiana is the recipe for a chef’s smoked fumè of Castelplanio in 1978, maccheroncini with a cream made of pancetta or speck, tomato sauce, cream and parmesan.
