Stanley discovers unexpected delights in this wildest of regions, Abruzzo, one heìs never visited before. He reveals how the rugged terrain impacts its food and culture. Credit: National Geographic/Matt Holyoak

Tucci in Abruzzo: Every Dish From Episode 4 of Tucci in Italy

10 Minute read

02 Jun 2025

Jillian Dara

Journalist

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Stanley Tucci explores Abruzzo’s culinary soul—from timballo and arrosticini to mountain pizza and hand-made confetti almonds.

Stanley Tucci explores Abruzzo, one of Italy’s most rugged and least populated regions, uncovering a culinary culture defined by survival, simplicity, and generosity. From mountain villages to seaside huts, Episode 4 of Tucci in Italy shows us how tradition, family, and a little ingenuity shape the food and flavor of Abruzzo.

Timballo: Layered Luxury from the Mountains

In the remote mountain village of Senarica, Tucci joins chef Danilo Cortellini and his family for a traditional lunch prepared by Danilo’s mother, Lucia. The star of the table is timballo, a hyper-local dish made from 10 to 12 layers of scrippelle (Abruzzese crepes) layered with ragù, mini meatballs, grated Parmigiano, and a milk-and-egg mixture that gives it a soft, souffléd texture. After two hours in the oven and a brief rest, the dense, golden stack is flipped and sliced—the corner piece reserved for the family patriarch. The dish may remind fans of Big Night, Tucci’s cult-classic food film, in which he prepares a dramatic timpano—a southern cousin of the timballo—with similar ingredients and theatrical flair.

Timballo being cut, revealing the intricate layers of crespelle and meatballs inside. Credit: National Geographic

Watch How Timballo is Made

See how delicate crepes, mini meatballs, and ragù are layered into this celebratory Abruzzese dish, then baked and flipped like a cake.

Arrosticini: Shepherd's Skewers on the Open Flame

South of Senarica, Tucci visits Ristoro Mucciante, a former shepherd's rest stop now famed for its signature dish: arrosticini. These are slender skewers of cubed mutton, grilled over charcoal outdoors to honor the region's transumanza (seasonal migration) tradition. Generously salted during and after cooking, the kebabs are served simply and devoured in bulk—10 to 15 per person, or more if you're a champion.

Craving Arrosticini?

Learn how to skewer, salt, and grill these mutton kebabs the Abruzzese way—over open flame and served in satisfying quantity.

Mountain Pizza and Community Bread Ovens

In Villa San Sebastiano, where a 1955 landslide nearly erased the village, Tucci finds a powerful story of revival centered around a communal bread oven. Lucia, a local baker, keeps this heritage alive by teaching locals—especially kids—to make traditional mountain bread and pizza with mountain wheat. Every week, the oven hosts community pizza lunches, topped with everything from slow-cooked onions to fresh marinara.

Pizza, Community-Style

In a village rebuilt after disaster, Tucci witnesses how one communal oven became the heart of a town, where locals gather weekly to bake mountain pizzas topped with onions, marinara, and memory.

Confetti: Sulmona's Sweetest Export

In Sulmona, Tucci explores the birthplace of sugar-coated almonds known as confetti. At Confetti Pelino, the process hasn’t changed since 1783: almonds are toasted, peeled, and then slowly enrobed in sugar solution over several days. These candies, symbolic of celebration, are still made entirely by hand and remain a beloved wedding and festival treat across Italy.

The Pelino shop interior, featuring two shop assistants in full attire, with confetti boxes in the background. Credit: National Geographic

The Trabocchi Coast: Sea Meets Mountains

Tucci then travels to the Trabocchi Coast, named for its iconic fishing huts. In one of these rustic structures, chef Gianluca prepares a showstopping "mare e monti" meal:

Torcinello (lamb offal wrapped in intestine) with prawns and red wine reduction
Pancotto (tomato-marinated bread) with slipper lobster and squid in orange tomato and zucchini sauce
Spaghetti with lobster extract, sweet chili, olive oil, and garlic

It’s a bold, beautiful clash of sea and land on a sun-drenched Adriatic outpost.

Pecora Cutturo: Abruzzo in a Stew

In the hilltop village of Castrovalva, Tucci meets chef Davide Nani who makes pecora cutturo, a stew born from shepherding culture. Made from mutton simmered with herbs like bay, rosemary, and sage in red wine, the dish evokes the rustic, patient cooking of the past. As it bubbles over an open flame for 90 minutes, Tucci savors it outdoors with a view of the Apennines.