The pampepato comes only from Terni, and each of us has his own secret ingredient

"T" and "R" equals: All Rich.

This was the Terni of our grandparents, this was the dream of a better life that the neighbouring populations of rural origin cultivated, when they aspired to be the city of steel.

The Conca di Terni is among the richest in Italian history and nature surprises us. Terni means the city between two rivers and a road that links it directly to the Nera Valley and the Marmore Falls, the highest in our country.

Regarding the dispute over the name "pampepato" or "gingerbread", I think it can be said both ways. Just do not say that it is not Terni, in order not to incur possible reprisals of us colourful Terni.

However, I said that, to really talk about the origin of this dessert, you don't have to go back to 1600, and I strongly believe that since it is a rich recipe, it has caught on with the spread of well-being in the city. So from the second industrial revolution to the economic boom of the last century.

The history of the city of Terni is very long, in fact the Conca Ternana already at the end of the nineteenth century was a great centre from which Italian industrialization started. In 1875, the first arms factory was established there and a few years later the famous Steelworks.

For years Terni has been defined as the "Italian Manchester", with production related to steel but also to chemistry and energy, and we all enjoyed well-being.

Reading the ingredients that I will now list, you will better realize my reflection:

Ingredients of Pampepato di Terni

• Dark chocolate (strictly avoid Perugina)
• Bitter cocoa (always avoid the brand of enemy relations)
• Honey
• Nuts
• Hazelnuts
• Pine nuts
• Almonds
• Candied citron
• Raisins
• Cooked must
• Flour
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• BLACK PEPPER!
• Various liqueurs
• Coffee

Then there are the secret ingredients that can range from bitter to Borghetti coffee to Plutonium. But no real Terni resident will tell you their mysterious ingredients.

I know that I have not entered the dosages, but it is better for you to make a friend from Terni than to try to do it yourself. Especially if you are Etruscan, our neighbours.

Terni are people of heart and, if you make them friends, they will give you Pampepato recipe at will. But don't try to sell them your imitations, which then risk the "pampepato" ... because for the citizens of the Conca it is not just a dessert!