Authentic Flavors between Perugia and Terni
Umbria, the green heart of Italy, boasts a unique food and wine heritage, where rustic simplicity meets the excellence of raw ingredients. Let’s embark on a sensory journey through the provinces of Perugia and Terni, among medieval villages and ancient traditions. Let’s get ready to discover food and wine in Umbria.
Perugian cuisine: between land, lake, and prized truffles
The food and wine tradition of the province of Perugia has its roots in a generous land. The absolute protagonists are DOP extra virgin olive oil, prized black truffles (symbol of the entire region), and meat from selected farms.
Among the unmissable specialties are arvoltolo, a delicious fried bread dough, and the famous Easter cheese cake, ideal to enjoy with local cold cuts. Simplicity reigns supreme in bruschetta with new oil and pan nociato bread.
The first courses undoubtedly celebrate homemade pasta with Umbricelli, which are perfect with tomato, mushroom, or wild asparagus sauces, and Strangozzi (or strangolapreti), a long pasta made with water and flour, strictly handmade and topped with rich meat or truffle sauces.
Trasimeno meat and fish main courses
Main courses feature excellent meat and fish from Lake Trasimeno.
The local cuisine focuses on pork, wild boar, and lamb, expertly flavored with wild herbs. For those who prefer fish, Lake Trasimeno offers Tegamaccio, a historic soup (similar to cacciucco) prepared with perch, trout, carp, and pike.
Among the excellent desserts, you can enjoy Pinoccate, pine nut-based sweets, and Torciglione, a dessert that resembles a snake with dried fruit inside. Then there is Torcolo, a typical twisted doughnut with candied fruit, the world-famous Baci di cioccolato (chocolate kisses) and Strufoli, typical Carnival sweets covered with honey.
The excellent wines that accompany these dishes are Sagrantino di Montefalco, Torgiano Rosso Riserva and the whites of the Colli Perugini.
Terni cuisine: ancient flavors and Narnese-Orvietano tradition
The food and wine of the province of Terni is a fascinating mosaic of Etruscan and Roman influences, and here the link with game and forest products is indissoluble.
The area is famous for cheeses such as caciotta, pecorino aged in pits, and salted ricotta, while among the cured meats, mazzafegato and “nostrano” ham stand out (ciauscolo, although typical of the Norcia/Macerata area, is often found in neighboring areas).
Signature first courses, game, and lake fish
Among the first courses, we honor ciriole or strangozzi alla ternana seasoned with garlic, oil, and chili pepper, or enriched with truffles and asparagus, and gnocchetti alla collescipolana, a local rarity made with stale bread, seasoned with tomato, sausage, and beans.
But the real star is game: Palomba alla leccarda (wild wood pigeon) is the signature dish, along with guinea fowl and pigeon, while moving towards Lake Piediluco, it is a must to try Persico Reale, served simply with oil and pepper.
Traditional desserts and the art of wine
Terni boasts Panpepato (PGI), an energy-packed treat with chocolate and dried fruit, followed by castagnole all’alchermes, mostaccioli al mosto and tozzetti alle mandorle.
The wine sector is dominated by Orvieto DOC, one of Italy’s most popular whites, alongside characterful reds such as Ciliegiolo di Narni and Sangiovese.
If we’ve managed to whet your appetite or even intrigue you and you want to discover Umbria, take a look at our travel idea by CLICKING HERE or on the banner below.
