Food products
Garfagnana is a closed valley between the Apuane Alps and the Tuscan-Romagnolo Appenines and its people have kept the most ancient traditions alive in their typical dishes recipes such as the 'Pasticcio' with mushrooms, ricotta omelettes, 'Teglie in gratella' and 'Latte panato'. But the product that has been most used during the centuries is the local chestnuts, its flour used to prepare polenta, fritters, 'Castagnaccio', the typical sweet of the region where the flour is mixed with water, salt and pine kernels; and finally the 'Necci', a fried dough cooked between two iron pans or chestnut leaves and served with ricotta. These chestnut products are accompanied by pork, mainly the 'Mondiola', the typical salami of the region and the 'Fagioli al fiasco', local Sorana cannellino beans, cooked with water, olive oil, garlic, rosemary and sage. Famous as the chestnut flour is the local spelt - Farro , known since the Roman period, and here recognized with the label of quality IGP (Protected geographical indication). It is polished in ancient stone mills and used to make delicious soups and salads. Spelt can be served hot or cold in a variety of different recipes. Besides the traditional soup, in the Garfagnana there is also a recipe that mixes spelt with rice; they are cooked separately then mixed together and flavoured with salt, pepper, nutmeg, cheese, and lemon rind. Other exquisite ingredients are the vegetables grown in the area, in particular the erbi (grasses) that grow spontaneously in fields and which can be eaten either raw or cooked; they are also excellent as a basis for a tasty frittata (omelette).