Bostrengo is a traditional dessert from the Marche region. Its origins are uncertain, with both the Montefeltro area and the Ascoli Piceno province claiming its authorship. The sweet goes by different names across the region, being called “Burlengo” from the province of Pesaro-Urbino up to Romagna, and “Frustingo” in the southern part of Marche. The wide variety of its ingredients suggests that its preparation originated in the countryside of Montefeltro in ancient times. One of its unique features is that the recipe changes from area to area; within just a few kilometers, you can find variations determined by the availability of different local products. Initially, it was a dessert of the poor, also known as a “pantry-clearing” sweet because, indeed, it was made using a bit of everything available in the house. It was prepared with the staple ingredients of peasant kitchens, such as stale bread, flour, walnuts, apples, dried figs, and sugar, to which other ingredients like cornmeal (yellow flour) and orange zest were gradually added. It is important to point out that the recipe for the Bostrengo of Apecchio has remained unchanged over the centuries. This sets it apart from other places where the dessert has undergone modifications with the addition of rice and cocoa. While delicious, these additions represent a departure from tradition, simply because rice and especially cocoa entered the local cuisine in much more recent times compared to the original recipe. The recipe for the Bostrengo of Apecchio has been handed down through the centuries by the housewives who prepared the sweet—both to supplement the family’s modest diet and for important festive occasions—using whatever they had at home. Today, this exquisite specialty truly stands out among many other desserts. Apecchio boasts many home cooks who still make the true, authentic “Bostrengo”. It is celebrated during the traditional “Sagra del Bostrengo” (Bostrengo Festival), which takes place every year during the mid-August holidays (Ferragosto).