Parrozzo is officially designated as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT) of Abruzzo.

D'Amico wanted to create a cake that resembled the traditional rough bread made by local farmers with corn flour.

Afterwards, he composed a madrigal called "La Canzone del Parrozzo" (lit.

'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…"The dough of parrozzo is made of semolina (alternatively yellow or white flour with corn starch), sugar, eggs, ground almonds, almond extract, and orange or lemon zest.

When the cake has cooled, it is removed from the tray and covered with molten dark chocolate.