Sibillini Local Food Products

Sibillini local food products: what to know

Lenticchia di Castelluccio di Norcia IGP. The lentil of Castelluccio di Norcia has been protected by Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) status since 1997. It grows at the foot of Monte Vettore, on the Piano Grande of Castelluccio (Pian Grande), at an average altitude of about 1,400 m. The climate is harsh in winter, with spring frosts until early June and a very short summer.

The seeds are small, flattened and roundish, with a very thin skin. The color ranges from mottled green to light brown, and some seeds are speckled. In the kitchen, boiling time does not exceed 30 minutes and the lentil holds its shape. It suits soups and pasta, but above all as a side dish. Recipes and addresses are on the page on Castelluccio lentils.

Prosciutto di Norcia IGP. The IGP is reserved for aged dry-cured ham that complies with the production rules. The production area includes the municipalities of Norcia, Preci, Cascia, Monteleone di Spoleto and Poggiodomo, in areas above 500 m in altitude. Salting is done in two stages with sea salt. Then the legs are desalted and left to rest for two and a half months. Before aging comes the sugnatura: the meat and any cracks are coated with lard mixed with rice flour.

Aging, from salting to sale, cannot be less than 12 months. Prosciutto di Norcia IGP has its own page, which also covers norcineria.

Ciauscolo. Ciauscolo is the best-known cured meat of the Marche. It has peasant origins, was born inland and has obtained IGP status. The recognition dates from 2009. It is a salami so soft it can be spread. The mixture is made of pork: belly, shoulder and trimmings of ham and loin. When cut, the color is a uniform reddish pink, with a very noticeable spice aroma. It is generally eaten fresh, twenty or thirty days after being made. Details and recipes are on the page on ciauscolo salami.

Other products have their own page, for example the prized black truffle, Norcia truffle.

Sibillini local food products: products season by season

Local products can be sought out in any season. For the lentil, though, the farming calendar helps choose when to visit. Summer at altitude is short, and plowing and sowing take place in spring, after the snow melts. Flowering falls in June-July and the harvest between July and August.

Every year the flowering creates a display of color on the plateau. Those who want to see the fields at this stage can plan their visit for those months. The harvest takes place toward the end of July and early August. Once it was done entirely by hand, the "carpitura". Today mechanical mowers are used.

For Prosciutto di Norcia the link with the seasons is different. The production rules require a minimum aging of 12 months, so the product on sale is already aged.

Sibillini local food products: practical tips

Recognizing the authentic product. Authentic Castelluccio lentils are distinguished from imitations by their small seed. All Castelluccio lentils are certified with the IGP mark, which guarantees their origin. On eligible hams, at the end of aging, the words Prosciutto di Norcia are branded on with a hot iron. This mark can be checked when buying.

Cooking the lentil. No soaking is needed. Before cooking, just rinse it well in cold water.

Eating ciauscolo. It is a very high-calorie cured meat, with about 360 calories per 100 grams, and is best eaten in small portions. It is well suited to spreading on country bread.

Putting together a board. Pair two or three cured meats, a couple of cheeses of different ages, honey or jams, fruit and rustic bread.

Where to buy and where to taste. For shopping there is the page on food shops and norcinerie in the Sibillini. To see how these ingredients feature on local menus there is the page on Le Marche food and typical dishes.