Marche, Le Marche, Marches – whatever you call this central Italian region, it’s clear that the people that live there (referred to as marchigiani) love their food. With meat often making up the majority of what’s on offer at any big meal and rich, fertile soil that’s responsible for the incredible vegetables, grains and pulses grown in the region, the natural bounty of Marche’s larder is what makes visiting this area of Italy so exciting. That, combined with the long, winding coastline to the east which sees fishermen bringing in the daily catch (which is then often turned into simple, delicious soups), means there’s something for every appetite.

It’s strange, then, that Marche isn’t more of a tourist destination in Italy. Perhaps that’s because it borders popular regions like Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna and Rome, which are known the world over for their famous dishes. For the more intrepid foodie, however, Marche offers a path less travelled, with serious culinary treasures awaiting those who make the trip. The famous olives all’Ascolana – deep-fried olives stuffed with meats and cheeses – are worth the journey alone, as is vincisgrassi, the region’s traditional take on lasagne and bowls of Italy’s only EU-protected fresh egg pasta, Maccheroni di Campofilone.

Read on, take notes and plan your next gastronomic getaway. Marche might not get the attention of its more well-known neighbours, but that’s because the locals want to keep all those deep-fried olives and fresh fish soups for themselves.