ventricina del vastese

A speciality of the region around Vasto in southern Abruzzo, the ventricina is shaped fittingly like a hand grenade and loaded full of peperoncini. In the Slow Food Presidium.

Guilmi, the village where they make most of it, celebrates it with a sagra in late August. Ventricina is made around Teramo, ventricina teramana, which is softer, and made to be spread on crostini. It's in the Molise, too: ventricina di Montenero di Bisaccia, made from locally reared pork, mixed with fennel flowers and paprika, is also aboard the Slow Food Ark of Taste. They also make a spicy version with peperoncini.