The complete foodie guide to Marche

The people of Marche eat more meat per person than anywhere else in Italy, and they’re particularly fond of grilling it alla brace – over burning wood. They’ll also batter or breadcrumb meat and deep-fry it, and turn goose, duck and rabbit into pasta sauces or roast them whole (usually stuffed with herbs and offal).

Of the many cured sausages found throughout Marche, ciauscolo has to be the most famous. Soft and spreadable like the more famous ‘nduja from Calabria to the south, it is flavoured with plenty of garlic, fennel and thyme. Do keep a look out for the local prosciutto, Prosciutto di Carpegna DOP, too, which is flavoured with juniper.

Meat might be a favourite of the Marchegiani, but along the region’s eastern coast fish and seafood is just as popular. You’ll find the day’s catch is often turned into soup (see brodetto below) or simply cooked in sauces flavoured with white wine, tomatoes or pancetta.

Artichokes and cauliflowers are among Marche’s most revered vegetables, while fruits such as apricots, pears, peaches and apples are held in high regard too. Pulses like chickpeas are featured in many simple soups and side dishes, too, and the region’s olives (and olive oil) are some of the best in Italy.

Marche’s sheep’s milk cheeses are the most well-known, particularly the PDO-protected Casciotta d’Urbino, which is a very old semi-hard cheese that was supposedly favoured by Michelangelo. Other varieties to look out for include Slattato, a cow’s milk cheese full of small holes, and Raviggiolo from Montefeltro, which is fresh and made with very little salt.

The only egg pasta to be granted EU protected status in the whole of Italy makes pasta from Campofilone very special indeed. It is traditionally cut very thin and must be made with plenty of fresh eggs – no other liquid can be included in the recipe.

One of the most famous dishes from Marche combines a variety of different meats, vegetables (and even set cream), batters or breadcrumbs them and, after being crisped and browned in plenty of oil, serves them on a big platter for everyone to tuck into. This method of cooking is found throughout Marche, and is often served in restaurants where families get together and work their way through giant plates of fried treats.

Like its neighbour Umbria, Marche is home to plenty of truffles which make their way into local dishes whenever in season. There are both white and black truffles to be found, most of which come from near Acqualagna and Sant’Angelo in Vado.

Verdicchio is Marche’s most famous white wine, with flavours of crisp green apple that perfectly complement the region’s fish dishes. For reds, keep an eye out for Rosso Conero DOC and Rosso Piceno DOC, two beautiful varieties made with Sangiovese and Montepulciano grapes.

Most meals in Marche are finished with an espresso and a shot of local liqueur, the most well-known of which is Anisetta, made with green anise that tastes of fennel and mint.