Although “scamorza” is widespread throughout the region, its production is more historically rooted in the provinces of L’Aquila and Chieti that border with the Molise region.

Abruzzo “porchetta”, by tradition, originated in the Province of Teramo and partly in the Province of Chieti, where it then spread throughout the region.

One of the most known and appreciated varieties of this herbaceous plant is that cultivated in the Peligna Valley, for the high quality of its essential oils and the delicacy of the aromas. It is a unique garlic, which is not reflected in the other two qualities, pink and white, usually grown in Italy.

Amatrice pork jowl, known as “guanciale amatriciano”, is a typical product  of  the  mountain  area  in  the municipalities  of  Amatrice  (Ri)  and Campotosto (Aq).

Annoia  is  a  salami  produced  all  over  the  region  but  especially  in  the Province of Chieti, resembling a sausage, and made with pork offal (stomach and intestine) aromatized with hot chilli pepper, garlic, fennel seed and

This is compact, semi-cooked paste cheese, produced in the Atri (Province of Teramo) district and made from ewe’s milk, with the addition of rennet of animal origin, preferably from sheep or goats, and salt. 
The rind is of varying degrees of hardness depending on how long the cheese has been cured and has the typical hatching left by the rush baskets used as containers.

The Caciotta Frentana, known locally as "casce d 'vac", is a variety of cheese produced in areas of lowland and middle hills of the Frentano territory and of the middle Vastese, in the province of Chieti and is among the oldest cheeses of the area and perhaps the least known.

Campotosto Mortadella  is produced mainly in the municipal area of Campotosto, in the Province of L’Aquila. This is handmade charcuterie, using finely-ground heavy pork, with a characteristic strip of lard (“lardello”) inside.

Some similarity with the Apulian “canestrato” underlines the common origin, tied to transhumance between the Tavoliere plains and the pastures of Campo Imperatore.

Known locally as “capelomme”, this cured loin is produced all over Abruzzo and, known by other names, it can be found in many other regions of central and southern Italy.

“Pecorino di Farindola” is undoubtedly one of Abruzzo’s most distinctive cheeses, typical of a very limited area that partly includes some of the mountain communities of Vestina and Cermignano, on the border of Pescara and Teramo provinces, below the eastern side of the Gran Sasso mountain: Farindola, Penne, Montebello di Bertona, Vill

“Scapece” is a unique fish chutney, typical of the Vasto coastal area of Abruzzo, but also found around Termoli and Montenero di Bisaccia, in the Molise region.

“Salsicciotto Frentano” is produced in the Frentano area, in other words the Lanciano district and the municipal territories of the Upper and Medium Sangro-Aventino Rivers Valley, on the eastern Majella slopes.

This kind of nougat is only produced in Guardiagrele (Province of Chieti) and is strictly speaking a hardbake, made from whole toasted almonds mixed with sugar, cinnamon and candied fruit.

The production of this particular pork speciality is limited to the Vasto area of the Province of Chieti, where grape syrup has been a popular product for generations.

The  traditional  agrifood  product  label  “Pane Casereccio Aquilano” refers specifically to bread made in compliance with conditions and requisites laid down in the production regulations whose geographical territory is the entire  Province of L’Aquila.

A typical confectionery item  made in  L’Aquila,  produced  to a  traditional method consolidated over several decades, this soft chocolate nougat is made in bars and is a chocolate brown colour, with hazelnuts that can be
seen on the sides.

This very unusual sausage is produced in the inland areas around L’Aquila, and particularly in the Sagittario Valley between Anversa degli Abruzzi and Scanno. It is made from pork with the addition of honey and cooked must, which act as natural preservatives and prevent oxidisation.

Among the confectionery specialties, a special mention should be made of Parrozzo, a modern version of the ancient "rough bread" prepared by farmers with maize.

L’Aquila saffron, which was recently granted PDO status, in the past was used in the most diverse ways by local people as a tonic and a food ingredient.

Pecorino marcetto or cacio marcetto cheese is produced throughout Abruzzo, especially in the inland areas, but most of all in the Castel del Monte municipality of the Province of L’Aquila.

This pork sausage is typical to Pennapiedimonte, a small village set on the slopes of Mount Majella, in the Province of Chieti, and is made with lean shoulder and leg (70%), with the remaining part comprising fattier or semifat meat like lean belly meat.

This product is typical of the middle and upper Vasto area (the same area as the Vasto “ventricina” product) and is made from the most prized part of the ham. It is oval in shape, weighing between 7-9kg, distinguished by the rind
attached to the meat; for curing it is wrapped in skin taken from the intestines and tied with string. 

“Micischia” (Vicischia, Vicicchia, Mucischia) was closely associated with migrant sheep-breeding activity and was given different names in different places in the Abruzzo mountains.

These comfits are produced only in the old Peligno town of Sulmona, in the Province  of  L’Aquila.  The  typical  comfit  is  composed  of  a  nucleus,  “the core”, which is a whole, shelled and peeled almond, coated by layers of sugar built up by a series of dippings.

The soft nougat bars produced in the municipality of Sulmona consist of a soft, spongy brown paste, with toasted hazelnuts.

The hazelnuts are visible  on  the  cut  sides,  sandwiched  between  two  sheets  of  rice  paper, honey, sugar, cocoa, egg white and vanilla flavouring.

The dialect term “nnuje” derives from the French andouille (tripe sausage), an origin that typifies several Teramo recipes, since the province – like the rest of Abruzzo – was historically influenced by Bourbon and French rule, which left many traces, not just in cuisine. 

The area of production for “Ventricina Teramana”  is  the mountain, hill and foothill  zone of the  Laga  Mountains and Gran Sasso.

The Valle Roveto chestnut groves stretch from the right of the River Liri, along the whole valley, concentrating mainly in the municipal territories of Canistro, Capistrello, Morino, Civitella Roveto, Civita d’Antino and Balsorano.

The cultivation area of the Carciofo del Vastese comprises the municipality of Cupello, where most of the production is concentrated, and the surrounding municipalities of Furci, Lentella, Monteodorisio, San Salvo and Vasto, where it is also grown in small allotments and family vegetable gardens.

Vasto Ventricina charcuterie (“Vescica”, “Ventricina di Guilmi”, “Muletta”,in the Scerni area, “Ventricina vastese”) is made in the Province of Chieti, in the hills and foothills of the area between the Rivers Trigno and Osento, known as the Medio and Alto Vastese.