The sleepy getaway town of Spoleto located in the heart of Italy is a perfect destination for a dream vacation. This quintessential Italian town is full of romance and character from the winding cobblestone streets, flower laden balconies, and mouthwatering cuisine.

Life in Spoleto is at a leisurely pace that is much slower than what travelers may be accustomed to. Here, life is lived fully each day and everyday experiences such as meals become an opportunity to gather with friends and family to celebrate the gift of the moment. Meals are to be enjoyed and savored, not something to rush through.

Even the flavors that go into Spoleto’s cuisine are a nod to the locals’ belief that every day is a reason to live well and eat well. The two primary flavors used in the city’s cuisine are locally grown truffles and extra virgin olive oil.

Truffles are often the star of the show when it comes to Spoleto’s flavors. Each year, from November to March, high quality truffles of different varieties can be found in this area. The more popular varieties Spoleto is known for include black truffles, white truffles, and scorzone.

APPETIZERS

An Italian staple that is often served in Spoleto is an assortment of cured meats, such as Umbrian salame or prosciutto, and homemade Italian cheeses. While the ingredients are simple, they are of the finest quality and the taste is delightfully fresh.

Often served as an accompaniment to cured meats and cheeses is a specialty bread of this region called torta al testo. The bread is prepared with the basic ingredients of flour, olive oil, salt, and pepper and it is typically cooked in a wood burning oven. Depending on the restaurant, some will serve torta al testo with meat such as sausage or prosciutto and herbs.

FIRST COURSE

Any authentic Italian dinner will usually feature a pasta option for the first course. In a land known for dozens of variations of homemade pasta, the sky can be the limit. Some of the more popularly served versions of Spoleto pasta include strongozzi, tagliatelle, and gnocchi.

Strongozzi is a customary Umbrian pasta. It is usually made from water and flour and forms long strips. The pasta is typically served with local vegetables, such as asparagus or peas. The dish can also be served with mushrooms.

Tagliatelle is also a common first course pasta dish. This pasta usually takes the form of narrow ribbons and is typically served in a hearty tomato sauce with herbs and spices for added flavor.

A more unique appetizer option might be a bowl of scafata. This is a traditional Umbrian stew that was often made by farmers and is still enjoyed across Spoleto today. It is made from a flavorful combination of fava beans, in season home grown vegetables, and savory pancetta.

Gnocchi is generally made from potato, flour, and eggs and is in the shape of a small rounded dumpling. Gnocchi can be served with a number of toppings ranging from ricotta cheese, a hearty tomato sauce, or even olive oil and herbs.

SECOND COURSE

Because Spoleto is a landlocked city, seafood is not common fare here as it is in cities along the coast. Pork, lamb, and other game tend to be the most featured meats on Spoleto menus when it comes to second courses. Diners enjoy a variety of dishes featuring these meats and some may even be incorporated with pasta as first course dishes.

Lamb coratella is a local favorite in Spoleto. The dish consists of diced lamb offal cooked with onions, rosemary, white wine, diced tomatoes, salt, and pepper. Lamb is also featured in agnello alla scottadito, which consists of lamb chops season with lard, spices, and herbs then grilled and served very hot, hence the name scottadito, which means finger-burning.

Two other traditional meat dishes of this area include faraona alla ghiotta (roasted guinea fowl) and suckling pig cooked in a wood oven. Another pork-based favorite second course is porchetta di maiale. This secret of this cut of pork’s deliciousness is the black pepper and fennel it is generously seasoned with before being cooked in a wood oven over a long period of time.

Pilotto is a local method of cooking a variety of animal proteins including lamb, kid, chicken, thrush, quails, and pigeons.

Following this method, when the meat is halfway cooked, drops of boiling lard are added to the meat, making it very tender and giving it a unique flavor.

Truffle omelette is a delicate, yet flavorful dish consisting of beaten eggs mixed with grated truffles then cooked as an omelette.

SIDE DISHES

Local ingredients that feature prominently as side dishes in Spoleto include asparagus, peas, potatoes, and mushrooms. Truffles tend to a beloved accompaniment as well.

STREET FOOD

With a city as beautiful as Spoleto thanks to its charming piazzas and rolling green hills, people often find it hard to stop sightseeing long enough for a leisurely two-hour meal. With those individuals in mind, it is the many vendors who serve food sold along the streets that enable travelers to eat while they wander the city.

A time honored favorite is the porchetta sandwich. This tasty snack is typically made with the torta al testo bread and then stuffed with slow-cooked pork that will satisfy any growling stomach.

DESSERTS

Dessert is the perfect way to end your Italian dining experience. Many of Spoleto’s desserts are simple in nature but offer an indulgent experience nonetheless.

Two of the traditional dessert options in Spoleto and Umbria include the attorta and baci. Attorta, sometimes called serpentone, is a puff pastry shaped like the coil of a snake made with eggs, sugar, lemon zest, apples, dark chocolate and rum or alkermes.

Baci is a smaller sweet treat. These chocolate hazelnut cookies of sorts are pinched together in a way that is said to remind Italians of a lady’s lips. For that reason, many refer to baci as the kiss cookies.

Crescionda is a local cake made with flour, chocolate, milk, amaretto liqueur, amaretti cookies, sugar, and eggs. The center of the cake is creamy while the top is dusted with sugar.

No matter how you choose to satisfy your sweet tooth, Spoleto has some fabulous indulgent options that will be worth every calorie.

WINE

Spoleto is a city that values living in the present. And what better way to be present and enjoy your evening meal than by complementing it with a fine glass of wine. The region of Umbria is widely renowned for its locally made wines. Some of the more popularly requested wines in Spoleto and the surrounding area include Orvieto DOC, Spoleto DOC, Grechetto, and Rosso Orvietano DOC.

Orvieto DOC wine typically includes Trebbiano and Grechetto blends. This white wine has a slightly fruity taste that complements appetizers, first courses, and seafood. Spoleto DOC white wine is a more recent arrival to the wine scene that is made primarily with Trebbiano Spolentino

Also a favorite white wine in Spoleto is Grechetto. Grechetto can be a standalone wine made almost solely from its namesake grape or can be used as a blend for other wines such as Orvieto DOC. Many wine connoisseurs say this wine has a citrusy and nutty taste.

An often-requested red wine variety of Spoleto is Rosso Orvietano DOC. This red wine can be made with a variety of grape blends that give it a deep red color and elegant flavor. Rosso Orvietano tends to go well with meat and aged cheese.