Marche cuisine

The Marche looks two ways: to the Adriatic for its saffron-free brodetto and stockfish, and to the Apennine hills for rich baked pasta, wild-fennel rabbit and spreadable ciauscolo salami. Verdicchio - of Jesi and of Matelica - is its great white, with Rosso Conero and Rosso Piceno the Montepulciano-and-Sangiovese reds, and the aromatic Lacrima and sweet sparkling Vernaccia di Serrapetrona as specialities.

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Antipasto

Olive all'AscolanaFried stuffed olives

Large green Ascoli olives pitted, stuffed with a mixed-meat filling, breaded and deep-fried - the crisp pride of Ascoli Piceno.

Ascolana olivesmixed meat fillingbreadcrumbs

Wines to drink with it

Offida DOCG An Offida Pecorino's acidity and body cut the fried, meaty olives.
Pecorino The native Pecorino white's freshness refreshes the palate between bites.

CiauscoloSoft spreadable salami

A soft, finely ground pork salami of the Macerata hills, so tender it is spread on bread rather than sliced.

porkgarlicwine

Wines to drink with it

Rosso Piceno o Piceno DOC The Montepulciano-Sangiovese red's acidity cuts the soft, fatty salami.
Lacrima A young Lacrima's perfume and low tannin flatter the spreadable pork.

Primo

VincisgrassiMarche baked layered pasta

A richer ancestor of lasagne: layers of egg pasta with a ragù of giblets and offal, béchamel and Parmigiano, baked until set.

egg pastagiblet ragùbéchamel

Wines to drink with it

Rosso Conero DOC The Montepulciano-based Conero red has the tannin and depth for the rich, offal-laden bake.
Rosso Piceno o Piceno DOC A Piceno red (Montepulciano with Sangiovese) is the everyday hill-country match.

Passatelli in BrodoBreadcrumb-and-cheese noodles in broth

A soft 'pasta' of breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, egg and nutmeg pressed into short strands and cooked in meat broth, shared with neighbouring Romagna.

breadcrumbsParmigianoeggmeat broth

Wines to drink with it

Verdicchio di Matelica DOC The firmer, inland Matelica Verdicchio suits the savoury, cheesy broth.
Verdicchio Verdicchio's freshness keeps the rich broth light.

Secondo

Brodetto all'AnconetanaAncona-style fish stew

A stew of thirteen kinds of Adriatic fish and shellfish cooked with tomato, vinegar and oil, ladled over toasted bread - the Ancona version of the coast's brodetto.

mixed Adriatic fishtomatovinegar

Wines to drink with it

Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Verdicchio's body, salinity and almond finish are the classic match for the rich fish stew.
Verdicchio The region's signature white grape stands up to the tomato and vinegar.

Coniglio in PorchettaRabbit with wild fennel

Rabbit boned and rolled around a stuffing of its offal, garlic and lots of wild fennel, then roasted - a Marche take on 'in porchetta'.

rabbitwild fennelgarlic

Wines to drink with it

Lacrima di Morro o Lacrima di Morro d'Alba DOC Lacrima's violet-and-rose aromatics play off the wild fennel.
Rosso Conero DOC A supple Conero red suits the roast rabbit without overwhelming it.

Stoccafisso all'AnconetanaAncona-style stockfish

Soaked stockfish stewed with potatoes, tomato, olives and rosemary until soft - a slow Ancona secondo.

stockfishpotatotomatoolives

Wines to drink with it

Verdicchio Verdicchio's structure and saline lift carry the rich, tomatoey stockfish.
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC The Jesi white is the home pairing for the coast's stockfish.

Dolce

FrustingoDense dried-fig and nut cake

A dark, dense Christmas cake of dried figs, walnuts, almonds, raisins, cocoa and spices - an ancient Piceno sweet.

dried figswalnutsalmondscocoa

Wines to drink with it

Vernaccia di Serrapetrona DOCG The sweet, sparkling red Vernaccia di Serrapetrona matches the dried-fruit density and cocoa.