A Go-To Comfort Food in the Countryside of Abruzzo
Italian cuisine is often very different than what we, Americans, envision from a childhood spent at the Olive Garden.
Sometimes, the most traditional dishes are the simplest, with just a few ingredients combined in the right way, such as the Piemontese Bagna Cauda and the Tuscan Panzanella. As mentioned in our last article about the cuisine and foods of Abruzzo, certain regions in Italy have traditions which are built on a ‘theme’ with recipes based on the land and livelihoods historically in the area. For example, in Abruzzo, where agriculture was and still is the predominant economic driver, dishes like scrippelle, or thin Abruzzese crepes made with flour, milk, and eggs, are common in Abruzzese dishes.
Enter the Febo Family
When was asked the Abruzzese wine-making family Febo for some traditional dishes, after their meatless meatball recipe, the second go-to dish for the family is Scrippelle ‘mbusse. Scrippelle are thin crepes which are a versatile base for many Abruzzese recipes. Interestingly you will find that they use these thin crepes instead of when using pasta. Case in point, where this Bolognese nonna cooks tortellini in homemade bone broth, in Abruzzo they add put crepes in broth.
Hence the word 'Mbusse in the name of this recipe which is Abruzzese dialect meaning ‘wet’. They serve thin Scrippelle crepes served with a savory broth. To add to Abruzzese flair, the scrippelle are filled with freshly grated pecorino sheep cheese before being rolled up.
A recipe like combines common Italian cuisine concepts, from the use of homemade broth, to the speed and ease of making the crepes, to the pecorino cheese grated on top, scrippelle ‘mbusse personifies not only the Italian cucina povera, of following the waste-not-want-not credo, by using ingredients easily on hand to create dishes, but also gives you an idea of what is on the lunch or dinner tables of Abruzzese families in the countryside.
Pair with Febo’s Natural Wines
The Febo winemaking family makes a natural wines that cover a wide variety of styles, to take you through so many different food and wine pairing opportunities, of Abruzzese dishes or otherwise! From their trebbiano abruzzese white wine, Parella, to a pecorino, Rolland (the wine grape not the cheese!), to a Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo rosè, or a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo red wine, their monovarietal natural wines showcase Abruzzese native wine grapes, naturally, as we learned when talking with Laura and Davide Febo at our recent VeroTalk.
Try Febo’s organic extra virgin olive oil too, that we just imported in, snagging some of their family’s private stash. It’s fragrant and tasty with a peppery finish that goes great with fresh bread, and great on salads too.
Try the recipe out for yourself below, and taste a little bit of Abruzzo, wherever you are!
Scrippelle ‘mbusse, or crepes in broth, with a sprinkling of pecorino cheese ready to be enjoyed.
Scrippelle ‘Mbusse – Abruzzese Crepes in Broth
Cooking and Prep Time: 35 minutes - 1 hour
Portions: 4 portions
Ingredients:
4-5 tablespoons Flour
4 Eggs
1 tablespoon Butter, melted
3 tablespoons Milk
Dash Ground Nutmeg
Pinch Salt
About 1 cup Grated Pecorino
3-4 cups Homemade Broth (Recipe Here)
Suggested Wine Pairings
Natural Wines from Febo Winery:
Parella White Wine
Rolland Pecorino Wine
Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo Rosè Wine
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Red Wine
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Procedure:
1. Sift the flour and stir in the eggs, melted butter, nutmeg and salt. Slowly add the milk a little at a time until a smooth consistency of crepe batter or a very loose pancake batter. Cover and let it rest for half an hour.
2. Heat a small skillet or a crepe pan on the stove. Lightly grease the pan with a small amount of butter, then gently ladle enough batter to coat the bottom of the skillet, rotating the skillet gently to allow the batter to form an even, thin layer across the bottom of the skillet. After a few moments when the scrippelle is set and the edges are turning a golden color, gently flip it and let it cook a moment more on the other side. Remove and sprinkle with the pecorino cheese then roll it up and set aside.
3. Repeat Step 2 until all the batter has been used, meanwhile heat your broth at a gentle simmer.
4. To serve, lay 3-4 scrippelle in a bowl then add a ladle of hot broth over the top, sprinkling with a touch more pecorino and a drizzle of Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil for garnish.
N.B. This recipe is courtesy of the Febo Family
Shop Wines and Olive Oils from Febo to Taste a Little Bit of Abruzzo
On the Adriatic Coast of Italy, lies Abruzzo and natural winery Febo. Run by siblings Laura and Davide, they are committed to sustainability in the vineyard and winery, crafting these wines that are natural, organic, and vegan. From a refreshing white wine to a rosé so deep it’s almost a light red wine, to an earthy red wine aged and elegant, the wines in this set cover a wide spectrum of what not only Abruzzo has to offer, but natural wine as well!
Shipping is also included in the Continental US with this set, and for your entire order!
This set includes:
From the hills of Abruzzo near the Adriatic Coast of Italy, comes this Organic EVOO, or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, farmed and made by the Febo family. Farmed sustainably and organic, this natural extra virgin olive oil is also vegan and, like all evoos, a first run - cold press olive oil, the best kind of olive oil for you.
The 2024 harvest is still made from a blend of olives like leccino and 500 year old trees, but now it is mostly the dritta cultivar.
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Farming | Biodynamic | Vegan | No additives | Unfiltered | Organic
Fun Facts: The dritta cultivar is a rare one being saved by Davide Febo who is trying to save and rehabilitate it.
An organic & vegan natural wine made from 100% trebbiano abruzzese, a white wine grape which the New York Times cites a grape “worth knowing better”. It has an inviting straw yellow color and an exotic nose (look for the saffron!) and an intriguing fruity and herbal taste.
This white wine is age-worthy too! Fermented and refined in grandfather Febo’s concrete vessels.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Chieti
Tastes Like: Peaches and Saffron
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Single vineyard | Old Vine | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: This wine is named from the single vineyard from which it comes, Parella in Chieti.
Rolland’s deep straw yellow or rusty color likens it to an orange wine, but this color comes from the vineyard, sun, and weather. A fresh and textured mouthfeel leaves you pondering and wanting to have another sip. We recommend to let it breathe before enjoying to the fullest.
The 2023 vintage offers a drier, more savory, and complex profile. With golden raisin and saffron flavors, it evolves into deeper sensations of caramel, sage, and a pronounced orange rind on the finish. It wraps up with a long, distinctive mineral finish. The 2023 really summarizes well the age-worthiness of this wine.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: Golden Raisins & Saffron
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Single vineyard | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: This wine is named for Grandfather Febo, Rolando, who bought the concrete vessels the family ages their wines in.
While made as a rosé wine, this Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo is actually more like a light red wine thanks to the dark pigments of the Montepulciano grapes used, farmed on Febo family’s estate vineyards in Abruzzo.
The minimal intervention approach of this natural wine producer results in a lot of vintage variation year after year. For example, the 2021 Cerasuolo d’Abruzzo has a cherry taste with a salty finish, and is considered a “serious” rosé wine while the 2024 is a Rosorange color that bursts with blood orange flavors mixed with cherry.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: 2021 - Cherries | 2024 - Tart cherries and blood orange
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: Both vintages are fermented with native yeast and refined in the winegrower's grandparents' concrete vessels. Great chilled and a good pairing is eggplant parmesan.
Made with 100% Montepulciano grapes spanning family vineyards in Spoltore and Chieti in Abruzzo, it has aromas of amarena cherries and licorice and a slight funkiness thanks to its 100% natural production. It tastes of dark fruit, with a rich texture and slightly bitter finish, with the funky vibe continuing while tasting. Fermented and refined in the winegrower's grandparents' concrete vessels.
Region: Italy > Abruzzo > Spoltore & Chieti
Tastes Like: Dark fruits
Farming & Winemaking Highlights: Regenerative Agriculture | Sustainable Winery | Biodynamic | Native Yeast Fermentation | Vegan | Organic | Natural Wine
Fun Facts: Pairs nicely with chicken parmesan. | While there is a famous wine “Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” from Tuscany, this grape has no connection to it; the “montepulciano name” there comes from the town noame, where as here in Abruzzo “montepulciano” actually refers to the grape used to make the wine.
