Cremini fritti Marchigiani

I visit Macelleria Gastronomia, Clerici Giovanni & figli where Giovanni and daughter Maria Grazie give me a very warm welcome. “35 years ago we started as a butcher shop and the ascolana olive is a part of our life.” tells Giovanni. ‘It is a tradition that we gladly continue . We process for our customers the olives that we stuff with minced meat as required by the DOP guidelines. Here they are sold uncooked.”

But cremini are also a tradition and are also made in this family-run business. Maria Grazia explains what it is: “It’s actually a kind of cream we make from milk, flour, sugar and egg yolk, with the addition of the local delicacy: anisetta or anise drink. After cooking, the mixture has to cool and become stiff in a mould. The pudding is about 1 centimetre high. Once cold and firm, like a thick pudding, it is made into small, square cubes. Each cube is individually breaded with egg and breadcrumbs. Instead of flour, other binding agents can be used, such as corn or rice starch. Like the olive ascolana piceno, the cremini fritti are fried in oil.”


Address: Macelleria Gastronomia, Clerici Giovanni & figlie, Via Rigante Adriano 53, Ascoli Piceno