Parrozzo () or panrozzo is a traditional cake from the

Abruzzo Abruzzo (, , ; nap, label=Neapolitan language, Abruzzese Neapolitan, Abbrùzze , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; nap, label=Sabino dialect, Aquilano, Abbrùzzu; #History, historically Abruzzi) is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy wi ...

region of

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

. It is traditionally served as a

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...

dessert, but may also be enjoyed year round. Parrozzo is officially designated as a traditional food product of Abruzzo.https://www.italyheritage.com/learn-italian/recipes/parrozzo.htm

Origins

Parrozo was invented in 1920 by Luigi D'Amico, a bakery owner in Pescara. D'Amico wanted to create a cake that resembled the traditional rough bread made by local farmers with corn flour. Parrozzo has the same round shape as the bread, contains eggs to mimic the yellow of the corn, and is covered with a layer of dark chocolate reminiscent of the burnt surface of the bread. The first person to try parrozzo was the poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. Afterwards, he composed a

madrigal A madrigal is a form of secular vocal music most typical of the Renaissance (15th–16th c.) and early Baroque (1600–1750) periods, although revisited by some later European composers. The polyphonic madrigal is unaccompanied, and the number o ...

called "La Canzone del Parrozzo" (The Song of Parrozzo), written in Abruzzese dialect:

''"È tante ‘bbone stu parrozze nove che pare na pazzie de San Ciattè, c’avesse messe a su gran forne tè la terre lavorata da lu bbove, la terre grasse e lustre che se coce… e che dovente a poche a poche chiù doce de qualunque cosa doce…”''

Ingredients and preparation

The dough of parrozzo is made of

semolina Semolina is coarsely milled durum wheat mainly used in making couscous, and sweet puddings. The term semolina is also used to designate coarse millings of other varieties of wheat, and sometimes other grains (such as rice or corn) as well. Etymo ...

(alternatively yellow or white flour with

corn starch Corn starch, maize starch, or cornflour (British English) is the starch derived from corn (maize) grain. The starch is obtained from the endosperm of the kernel. Corn starch is a common food ingredient, often used to thicken sauces or sou ...

), sugar, eggs, ground

almonds The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', Synonym (taxonomy)#Botany, syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of th ...

, almond extract, and orange or lemon

zest Zest may refer to: Common usage * Zest (ingredient), the outer peel of a citrus fruit ** Zester, a tool for preparing zest ** Twist (cocktail garnish), a piece of zest * Zest (positive psychology), a component of character Brands * Zest (brand ...

. All ingredients are mixed and baked in a round aluminum tray. When the cake has cooled, it is removed from the tray and covered with molten dark chocolate.

References

*Enrico Di Carlo, Gabriele d'Annunzio e la gastronomia abruzzese, Castelli, Verdone, 2010; {{Cakes Cuisine of Abruzzo Italian cakes Abruzzo