Traditional Christmas Desserts of Casalbordino (Abruzzo)

At Christmastime, every home in Abruzzo makes traditional desserts.  Although the names are similar, the ingredients vary from town to town.

These are part of the culinary tradition of Casalbordino , my birth place.

Scrippelle

Tarallucci (indigenous to Casalbordino)

Caggionetti di ceci (chick peas)

Caggionetti di Ceci

Ingredients for the pastry dough:

4 cups of unbleached flour
½ cup olive oil
½ cup of white wine

Ingredients for the filling:

1 lb. chickpea puree (chick peas cooked fresh)
1 cup of peeled, toasted almonds finely chopped
1 orange peel finely chopped
¼ cup sugar or honey
¼ cup rum or anisette
4 tbs. cocoa powder, unsweetened or 2 square of chocolate (melted)
1 tablespoon cinnamon

4 cups of olive oil for frying

Preparation:


Combine the almonds, the cinnamon and the chocolate and mix well. Then add the chick pea puree, the sugar, the liqueur and orange peel. Allow to rest for several hours, while preparing the flour dough with olive oil and wine. Stretch the dough. Put the filling on the dough as they do for the ravioli. Fry the "ravioli" in olive oil without browning them. Finally sprinkle with powdered sugar.