The Italian is the most important migrant community in Barcelona and (Argentines apart), that has allowed us to have a sample of restaurants that allows us to travel throughout Italy without leaving, as it were, the Eixample. That is why, when November arrives, lovers of true cucina have an appointment marked in red on the calendar: the Settimana della Cucina Italiana.
As part of this worldwide celebration, Barcelona hosts a new edition of ‘Italia con Gusto’, an initiative that seeks to educate our palate and show us that Italy is a country of vastly different regions. For this reason, this 2024 the absolute protagonist is the Abruzzo region.
From November 17 to 30, the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Barcelona, together with the Consulate and the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, has organized a tour of 12 restaurants in Barcelona that will serve unpublished dishes from this region for between 9 and 16 €, paired, as it could not be otherwise, with local wines.
Abruzzo: sea, mountains and “arrosticini”.
To understand what we are going to eat, we must understand where it comes from. Abruzzo is often referred to as the “green lung” of Europe for its national parks, but gastronomically it is a jewel of contrasts. It is a cuisine that lives halfway between the peaks of the Apennines and the Adriatic coast.
This translates into a table where the pastoral tradition – with an intensive use of lamb, sheep’s cheese and saffron from L’Aquila – coexists with the seafood stews of the coast. This is not the usual Italian export cuisine; it is a cuisine of origin, rustic and powerful.
What to try on the road (and where)
The mechanics of ‘Italia con Gusto’ is simple and effective: during these two weeks, the participating restaurants offer a traditional Abruzzese dish accompanied by a glass of wine from the region (probably a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo or a Trebbiano, the flagship varieties of the area).
Among the proposals that caught our attention and that justify the visit, there are classics that are rarely seen on the usual menus. For example,the mythical Arrosticini at Gravin, where you can try these skewers of sheep meat (castrated, according to the purist tradition), which are the quintessential street food of the region. Here they are served with polenta and gorgonzola cream.
At Xemei, Max Colombo bets on Brodetto vastese, a fish soup typical of the coast that is pure comfort for autumn, and le Cucine Mandarosso offers Timballo abruzzese, a kind of millefeuille made of layers of scrippelle (a kind of thin crepes) with tomato sauce and meatballs.
In addition, for the first time, there will be a pizzeria: Mama Pizzeria presents the Pizza Montanara, with inland ingredients such as smoked mozzarella, porcini mushrooms and truffle honey, proving that pizzas are also regional.
The full list of restaurants joining the initiative includes big names such as Menudo Pau, Raffaelli, Casa Maestro, Bocca di Bonifacio, Bella Italia, Punta, Poppy’s 80 and Velissima.
To enjoy the special menus at the restaurants, no special ticket is required, simply book a table at any of the participating restaurants during the dates of the event and order the promotional dish.