“At the beginning there was my grandma…”
All stories about our territory traditions almost start all alike, also this one, talking about a poor legume, “La Cicerchia”, tasty but with a hard peel, survived through years in this Marche area, in province of Ancona.
Ok, if you do not have idea of what “cicerchia” is, my suggestion is … just taste it!
Mix it with a hint of medieval atmosphere inside the walls of Serra de’ Conti town (Province of Ancona), add some traditional music played by street musicians…and this wonderful plate is ready to be served!
The inhabitants of the town set up a festival, opening all cellars and basement in the medieval alleys, introducing this legume in a huge variety of recipes and (no need to say!) accompanied by a glass of new wine!
No way to miss this event! We were there to catch the atmosphere and collect some recipes for you! Be aware: try them with the “real” cicerchia, the tiny and tasty one, not the big and insipid variety you usually find in supermarkets. For more info about where to shop go at http://www.labonausanza.it/
Ingredients (for 4): 300 gr tagliolini (long fresh pasta, similar to “tagliatelle”), 200 gr cicerchia, 250 gr mushrooms, garlic, olive oil, pepper, onion, parsley, celery, smoked bacon, salt.
Preparation: boil cicerchia in hot water with onion, parsley, celery and salt. Dry it from water and then pass everything in the vegetable mill to obtain a mash (purèe). In another pot, sauté mushrooms with garlic and pepper. When they’re almost ready add smoked bacon in pieces and pan-fry for a minute. In the meanwhile, cook in boiling water “taglioni” pasta, drain them and mix with cicerchia and mushrooms. Mmmmmm!
Ingredients (for4): 160 gr cicerchia, 1 onion, 1 carrot,1 celery, “santoreggia” leaves (an aromatic plant you can substitute with thyme leaves), salt, pepper, olive oil.
Preparation: first soften cicerchia leaving it in cold water for at least 8 hours, changing the water 2 or 3 times. Then take away the peels from the legume. Boil it in hot water for 40 minutes. in the meanwhile cut into julienne strips carrot, onion and celery and dress them with olive oil, salt and pepper. Add some thyme or “santoreggia” leaves. Drain cicerchia and, till is still warm, put it on the salad and mix the vegetables. Easy&fast!
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