Like a Local: Taste Your Way Through Umbria

Known as the “green heart of Italy”, Umbria is a spectacular region nestled in between the regions of Tuscany, Lazio and Marche. The region is a breath of fresh air and offers stunning medieval towns perched on top of heavenly hills, a picture-perfect countryside, and a rich cultural and artistic heritage. But that’s not all; Umbria also offers exceptional regional food and wine. From stellar wine estates where you can taste different types of reds and whites, to delicious local cuisine, Umbria is a food lover’s paradise.

For the cured meats lovers, the small town of Norcia is renowned for its local butchers and most famous for its prosciutto di Norcia. Unlike other more sweet prosciuttos like Parma and San Daniele, the one from Norcia has a slightly saltier aroma. This prosciutto is best paired with the famous Torta al Testo, an Umbrian focaccia cooked on a cast iron plate, whose recipe dates back to medieval times. While if you’re in Umbria during Easter, a must-try is the traditional Torta di Pasqua, a very soft salted cheese cake served for breakfast and appetizers. But traditional Umbrian cuisine isn’t just cured meats and different types of breads, the pasta and meat dishes are remarkable too.

Truffles are surely one of the undisputed protagonists of Umbrian cuisine, with seven different varieties present in the territory, both black and white. They’re used in appetizers, first and second courses, but are most famously used as a sauce for pasta dishes like  strangozzi al tartufo, a handmade long ribbon pasta served with truffle sauce.

Umbria is also known for being a hunting region, especially populated by wild boar and deer. Among the most traditional Umbrian dishes you’ll find the pappardelle al cinghiale, a flat long ribbon pasta with boar ragout that is just to die for. For the second courses, don’t miss out on the piccione alla ghiotta, a stuffed pigeon roasted on a split served with a delightful sauce. An explosion of flavors.

But no dining experience is complete without the perfect glass of wine. And Umbria sure delivers with its wine production. Among the typical Umbrian red wines, the Sagrantino, the Rosso di Montelfaco and the Passito di Sagrantino are considered the most prestigious. While for the white wines, the Grechetto and the Trebbiano are the most renowned.