Taste in Abruzzo. Why do North Americans love Pallotte Cace e Ove (cheese and egg balls)?

We made a small survey, interviewing them during village festivals or in restaurants, taverns and farmhouses or in the narrow streets of the villages. We have found that North American tourists are the ones who most frequently look for Pallotte Cace e Ove (cheese and egg balls) during their holiday in Abruzzo.

Maybe because they are tourists who often have family roots in Abruzzo, this dish is often mentioned among the first in the ranking and in any case one of those that tourists already know before their arrival and who are looking for in restaurants, taverns or farmhouses. Why? Simple! “They are so tasty”, they say, “And when the fork goes inside, oh my God, you can feel real Italian taste”, or “Simply delicious …”.

They are really one of the simplest and cheapest dishes that can be found in Abruzzo but, as often happens for the so-called “poor” cuisine, they are also the dishes that most easily go inside the memory of visiting tourists for their uplifting taste.

It’s nice to hear how they call them with their pronunciation, perhaps a little embarrassed, “palotta cacy and uove”, but from here you can understand their desire to know Italy in its depth, going to taste dishes that bring with itself the history of a territory, the combination of genuine and simple products, a true synonym of the Italian areas far from large tourist centers, such as the land of Abruzzo.

Where you can taste Pallotte Cace e Ove?

In addition to village festivals and restaurants and farmhouses, we have seen them taste this dish also in unusual places, such as in the Punta Penna beach in Vasto after a swim in the crystal clear waters, with a good glass of wine on the bench of the main square of the village of Scanno and leaning on the hood of the car among the boundless landscapes of Campo Imperatore with the Gran Sasso looking at them in amazement.

Indeed Pallotte Cace e Ove have no boundaries. On the sea of the Costa dei Trabocchi or on the north coast of Abruzzo, in the hilly hinterland and on the slopes of the Majella and Gran Sasso, enjoyed in a terracotta crock, immersed in a fresh tomato sauce flavored with basil from the garden, they are truly a gastronomic experience not to be missed during a lunch or dinner or snack in Abruzzo. Whether you are North American or from any other country, we recommend you try the Pallotte Cace and Ove during your next trip to Abruzzo.

Roberto De Ficis