The salty Abruzzese strozzacavallo is a typical recipe from my region. I’ve never had to work so hard for a recipe as I did with this one.
I knew the recipe but having never made it, I sought advice in some groups, as even searching online, there are only companies that sell and ship them home, but no recipes…..so if some food blogger replicates it, I’m sure they took it from me, please at least cite the source.
I started talking to a lady who knew the recipe but claimed it had Puglian origins, of course, I didn’t feel like contradicting her because I didn’t have enough information yet.
My conclusion is that the recipe originates in Abruzzo, more precisely in the area between Pennapiedimonte and Guardiagrele, in the province of Chieti.
It used to be customary to enjoy this typical tarallo with a good glass of wine and cheese in the cellars of the town, or in the countryside always accompanied by a good wine during fieldwork.
The dough of the strozzacavallo is crunchy, very fragrant, and compact, and for this reason, to avoid “choking,” they are dipped in wine.
They are prepared both in a semi-salty version and in a sweet version that I will soon propose to you.
The strozzacavallo closely resembles tarallo, as they are boiled and then baked, but slightly different from similar products.
This typical tarallo is portioned in a small version or a single giant tarallo, but I preferred the small version for practicality.
Today this product is mainly available in its place of origin or online.
In conclusion, it is true that this product is also replicated in Puglia under the same name, seemingly similar in dough but it is Abruzzese PAT.
PAT is a designation that means Traditional Agri-food Product, a mark used only in Italy for traditional niche products with limited spread in small territories.
Perhaps I have bored you with my long article, but the recipe captivated me so much that I worked long to gather the right information.
All that’s left is for you to try this beautiful recipe and maybe send me photos of your strozzacavallo.
Approx. 187 Kcal for each strozzacavallo
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 11 strozzacavallo
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian Regional
- Region: Abruzzo
- Seasonality: Summer, All seasons
Ingredients to make Salty Abruzzese Strozzacavallo
- 4 medium eggs
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 380 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- anise seeds to taste
Preparation of Salty Abruzzese Strozzacavallo
Work the eggs well, then add the extra virgin olive oil, anise, salt, and flour a little at a time before transferring the dough to a lightly floured work surface and forming a homogeneous ball.
Cut the dough into pieces weighing about 1.9 oz (53-54 g) each, from which we will make cords about 7 inches long and slightly thicker than a finger, closing them in the shape of a tarallo and scoring a line on the surface with a knife.
Bring salted water to a boil and when it reaches a boil, add the strozzacavallo and let them boil for about 30 minutes.
After the boiling time, drain them in a colander with a bowl underneath and let them drip for a few minutes.
Prepare a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper, place the strozzacavallo slightly apart and bake in a hot oven at 482°F (250°C) for 5 minutes, then lower to 392°F (200°C) and bake for another 30 minutes, checking the cooking.
The result should be a slightly colored surface with a dry internal bake.
Preferably consume once cooled, and they will keep for several days if placed in a plastic bag or tin box.
