Ventricina is a raw pork sausage common in Abruzzi and Molise. The name is clearly a reference to the belly of the pig which is used as a casing for the mixture: the fact is that in Abruzzi there are basically two different versions of this mixture. In Vasto ventricina is aged for at least 90 days, it is bright red in color because of the powdered sweet bell pepper and the percentage of lean cuts (80%) is clearly higher than the amount of fat (20%) made up of bacon and ham fat. In Teramo the situation is reversed, with a preponderant presence of fat (60-70%), a much shorter aging period and the addition of orange peel, garlic, rosemary and bell pepper paste. Ventricina Vastese is eaten "in chunks", while Ventricina Teramo is spread - and some call it "the salted nutella of Abruzzo". An excellent rustic aperitif to be enjoyed with a good glass of Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo, the rosé made from Montepulciano grapes.
