A dinner from the Marche at home

Antipasto

Olive all’ascolana

Meat-stuffed fried olives · 1½ hours

You’ll need

• 7 oz ground meat (200 g)
• 1½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano (40 g)
• 2 eggs
• 2 jars large pitted green olives
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• scant ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups oil for frying (1 liter)

How to make it

1. Cook the ground meat and, once cool, mix with one egg and the cheese.
2. Slit the olives down the side and stuff them with the meat.
3. Roll in flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs.
4. Deep-fry at 340°F (170°C) until golden.

Wine: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, a white

Primo

Vincisgrassi

The Marche’s own lasagna · 3 hours

You’ll need

• 1 onion
• 14 oz ground meat (400 g)
• 7 oz chicken livers (200 g)
• 3½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano (100 g)
• 4 cups milk (1 liter)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 1 package lasagna sheets
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g)

How to make it

1. For the ragù, soften the onion, brown the meat and chopped livers, add the tomato paste and some water. Simmer for an hour.
2. Make a béchamel with the butter, flour and milk.
3. Layer pasta, ragù, béchamel and cheese in a baking dish.
4. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 45 minutes.

Wine: Rosso Conero, a red

Secondo

Brodetto all’anconetana

Tomato fish stew · 1 hour

You’ll need

• 2¼ lb mixed fish and seafood, such as cod, shrimp and mussels (1 kg)
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 baguette
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
• scant ½ cup wine vinegar (100 ml)
• scant ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)

How to make it

1. Soften the onion and garlic in the oil.
2. Add the vinegar and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Add the fish in pieces, firmest first, and cook through.
4. Serve over toasted bread with parsley.

Wine: Verdicchio, a white

Dolce

Ciambellone

Lemon ring cake · 1 hour

You’ll need

• 1 lemon
• 3 eggs
• scant ½ cup milk (100 ml)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
• scant 1 cup sugar (180 g)
• scant ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)
• 2 tsp baking powder

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Whisk the eggs and sugar until fluffy. Add the oil, milk and lemon zest.
3. Fold in the flour and baking powder.
4. Bake in a ring or Bundt pan for about 40 minutes.

Wine: Vernaccia di Serrapetrona, a sweet sparkling red

Shopping list

Produce

• 1 onion
• 1 onion
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon

Meat and deli

• 7 oz ground meat (200 g)
• 14 oz ground meat (400 g)
• 7 oz chicken livers (200 g)

Seafood

• 2¼ lb mixed fish and seafood, such as cod, shrimp and mussels (1 kg)

Cheese and dairy

• 1½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano (40 g)
• 2 eggs
• 3½ oz Parmigiano Reggiano (100 g)
• 4 cups milk (1 liter)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 3 eggs
• scant ½ cup milk (100 ml)

Bakery

• 1 baguette

Pantry

• 2 jars large pitted green olives
• ¾ cup breadcrumbs
• scant ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups oil for frying (1 liter)
• 1 package lasagna sheets
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (60 g)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
• scant ½ cup wine vinegar (100 ml)
• scant ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (250 g)
• scant 1 cup sugar (180 g)
• scant ½ cup olive oil (100 ml)
• 2 tsp baking powder

Wine

• Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (antipasto)
• Rosso Conero (primo)
• Verdicchio (secondo)
• Vernaccia di Serrapetrona (dolce)

Verdicchio is easy to find and great value. For a Rosso Conero, any Montepulciano works.