Traditional dishes:

Acquacotta dell’Umbria: Umbrian ‘cooked water’

For 4 people

3 onions
1 rib celery
8 leaves fresh mint
1 kg tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
4 slices country style bread, toasted
50 g Parmesan cheese, grated

Finely chop the onions, celery and the mint. Place in a large terracotta pot along with the tomatoes, a drizzling of olive oil and about half the broth. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring every so often, and adding a little more broth if necessary. Adjust seasoning. Place a slice of toasted bread in each serving dish, and season with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper. Pour tomatoes on top and finish with a generous sprinkling of grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.

Minestra di farro: farro (emmer wheat) soup

For 4 people

200 g farro
Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil
50 g prosciutto crudo or pancetta, diced
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 each carrot, onion, rib celery, finely chopped
25 g grated pecorino cheese

Heat the oil in a pan and add the diced prosciutto. Sauté for 5 minutes then add the chopped vegetables and sauté for a further 5 minutes. Cover with water, season with salt and pepper, and simmer for at least an hour. Add the farro and cook for another 30 – 45 minutes or until the farro is tender, adding more water if necessary. Serve hot with a sprinkling of grated pecorino.

Spaghetti al tartufo nero: spaghetti with black truffle

For 4 people

400 g spaghetti
2 good sized black truffles, thinly sliced
50 ml extra-virgin olive oil.
2 anchovy fillets (in oil)
Juice from ½ lemon

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, and add the anchovy fillets, the truffles and the lemon juice. Sauté for a couple of minutes and keep warm. Cook the spaghetti in abundant salted boiling water until al dente, then drain (reserving some of the cooking water), and add to the truffles. Toss well together, adding a little of the pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately.

Lepre alla cacciatore umbra: Umbrian hare hunter style

1 hare, cut in pieces
Vinegar
1 onion, finely chopped
100 g prosciutto crudo, diced
Small branch rosemary
2 anchovy fillets
Handful capers, rinsed
1 chili pepper, diced
Glass dry white wine
Extra-virgin olive oil

Wash the hare with vinegar, then heat a non stick pan and sear pieces on all sides. Heat a good drizzling of olive oil in a second pan and sauté the onion with the prosciutto until the onion is soft and transparent. Add the hare to the second pan, season with salt and pepper and sauté together for 5 minutes. Mince the rosemary with the anchovy fillets and add to pan along with the capers and chili pepper. Add the wine, and cook uncovered for 5 minutes until it has evaporated somewhat. Drizzle over a little more olive oil, cover and cook over a low heat for 2 hours or until hare is cooked and tender.

Rocciata di Assisi: fruit and nut roll from Assisi

75 g mixed fruit and nuts (almonds, sultanas, walnuts, dried figs, prunes)
Olive oil
150 g sugar
2 tbsp vin santo
1 tsp cinnamon
Grated zest 1 lemon
200 g flour
Pinch salt
Icing sugar for decoration