The Dessert

Ferratelle (Foto D'Angelo)

Among the regional desserts memorable are the “ferratelle”, or “neole”, or “cancellate”. They are made with egg, sugar, flour and oil, using a special iron utensil which is put straight on the fireplace or gas.
Other traditional desserts are “mostaccioli”, sweets made from honey and almonds often covered in chocolate. These are characteristic of the provinces of Teramo and Aquila.
Dried fig brittle is a sweet which comes from the Teate area. It is made with honey, walnuts, egg whites and, naturally, dried figs. 
 

Le Sise delle monache (Foto D'Angelo)

Exclusively from the town of Guardiagrele are the “sise delle monache” (nuns’ breasts), they are made from sponge cake filled with custard with the characteristic three-domed shape.
The “parrozzo” is a dessert from Pescara, invented by the confectioner Luigi D’Amico who was inspired by Gabriele D’annunzio. It is similar to the “pane rozzo” which was eaten by the peasants and prepared from mais flour, in a spherical shape and cooked in a wood oven. D’Amico had the idea to reproduce the yellow of the mais flour using eggs and almond flour. He left the spherical shape and to imitate the wood oven cooking process, he covers the balls in chocolate. 
  

I calcionetti (Foto www.agritour.te.it)

The “calcionetti”, or in dialect “caciunit”, are traditional, fried Christmas sweets. The shape is the same as ravioli. The pastry is very light while the filling can be made from chickpeas and boiled wine must, or honey and almonds, or grape jam.

I confetti di Sulmona (Foto D'Angelo)

Finally we must mention “confetti” (glazed, sugared almonds) from Sulmona which has antique origins. These sweets are famous for not only their quality, but for the artistic production which consists in using “confetti” tied with silk threads forming bouquets of flowers, clusters and ears of corn.