Ten Things To Eat In Umbria

Umbria is known as the "Green Heart of Italy" not only because more than half of its terrain is forested mountains, but because much of the health food consumed in Italy is grown in Umbria.  The high pasture lands of Umbria allow cows, sheep and pigs access to fresh air, mountain water and pure grass.  The forests also provide the Umbrians with lots of wild game, pheasants, wild pigeon, rabbit and the "King of the Forest"; Chingiale or wild boar.  If you are not into hunting animals, there is another elusive prey to hunt...the truffle!  In general Umbrian food is hearty, uncomplicated and extremely fresh.  Here are my "Top 10 eats in Umbria".

Antipasto

1* Bruschetta- Is common all over Italy.  In Umbria, the bread is cut thick and toasted over a wood fire and served with local olive oil or sometimes with black truffles.  The olive oil in Umbria is exceptional; you may want to pick up a small bottle to bring home.  On the last Sunday in March the little town of Spello just 6 miles south of Assisi, hosts La Sagra della Bruschetta which is a bruschetta food festival that will knock your taste buds right out of your mouth!  Also, look for an Umbrian flatbread called "Torta sul Testo"-great with salumi!



2* Truffles- Fall is the traditional time for Truffles or Tartuffo in Italian. The black truffles are in season twice a year; the winter truffle from November to March and the Summer truffle (which is less aromatic) from May to August.  The best truffles are from Norcia and Spoleto and are usually served on pasta or bruschetta.
Truffles only grow underground in unspoiled mountain forests; usually under Oak, Linden and Poplar trees.  The truffles are "hunted" with the use of truffle-sniffing dogs or pigs. White truffles are called "trifola d'Alba Maddona" or truffle of the white Maddona. White truffles are SUPER expensive (close to $2000/pound) and hard to find in restaurants and markets. It's best to research stores selling white truffle products in the area you will be visiting before you go to Italy.



3* All things pork- Pork is a serious subject in Umbria.  The town of Norcia has perfected the art of sausage making.  So much so, a top pork butcher is called a "norcino" and he can open a "norcineria".  In every restaurant, Osteria, Taverna and Enoteca you will see a charcuterie board of various cured pork products: salumi, prosciutto, soppressata, mortadella, donkey balls, cinghiale (wild boar) sausage, 2 kinds of local cheese and local honey.  Wait-what? Donkey balls? Bale d'Aso is named for the way this sausage looks like when it is being hung and cured; a pair of donkey balls.  In northern Italy, this sausage is made with a mix of beef and pork, but the Norcia version is all pork, baby!  Also, try the "Corralina di Norcia" a salami that has a piece of lard in the centre and smoked over a Juniper wood fire. Yum!

Bale d'Aso

Primi

Strangozzi with Truffles

4*Strangozzi or (Stringozzi)-These thick long pasta noodles from the Spoleto area are made with hand-milled flour.  The story goes that Strangozzi received its name during the Middle Ages from the people of Spoleto who had just become part of the Papal lands and didn't want to pay more taxes.  The pope sent "esattari" who were tax collecting thug-priests to Spoleto to gather funds from the people who had not paid their taxes.  There were plots to strangle the esattari with long leather cords called "strangozzo".  There is also another type of ticker pasta in Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna called "Strozzapreti" which means "priest-stranglers". This pasta is more fun to eat knowing the history behind it.  Strangozzi is usually served with a black truffle sauce, a hearty meat ragu or a thick tomato-based sauce.

5*Spaghetti alla Norcina- a dish from the Norcia area, this is pasta made with a sauce of black truffles, olive oil and anchovies.  Also, spaghetti alla Norcina is pasta with a cream sauce and sausage.  It's a bit confusing because both dishes go by the same name and both are delicious!

Secondi

6*-Palomba alla Ghiotta or Palombacci-This Medieval dish is traditional fare from the town of Todi.  It is a wild pigeon roasted over hot coals (never direct fire) served with a sauce called "la ghiotta".  La ghiotta is a gravy made from the cooking juices of the meat or fowl mixed with a bit of olive oil, vinegar, anchovies, lemon peel and olives.  La Ghiotta is usually served with pheasant, squab and other wild game and meat.

There are many main course freshwater fish dishes in Umbria.  The fish comes from Lake Trasimeno to the West of Perugia near the border with Tuscany.  Dishes typically include such fish as eel, trout, carp and pike.

Contorno

7* Lentils- are called "lenticchie" in Italian.  The best lentils in Italy come from Castelluccio, a small town just east of Norcia.  Castelluccio is a hilltown that has one of the highest elevations in the region.  There are two broad plains at the foot of the hilltown that grows these tender little lentils that are so delicate that they must be harvested by hand, usually in mid-August.




8* Cavolo Romano- This is also just called Romanesco in Italy.  The first time we saw this in an Umbrian farmer's market, I didn't' know if it should be eaten or put in a flower arrangement!  It has got to be the winner of the most beautiful vegetable award.   I have heard it called "Fibonacci Broccoli" because of the logarithmic spiral it grows in.  Romanesco is a bit crunchier than cauliflower and the flavour is more subtle and nutty than a cauliflower.  It is great just steamed or pan-fried and seasoned with salt and pepper and drizzled with some beautiful jade green coloured Umbrian olive oil. 

I wonder if you get better at math if you eat enough of this Romanesco?

Dolci

9* Pan Nociato- This is another Medieval dish from the equally Medieval town of Todi.  This rich dessert bread has Pecorino cheese (a sheep milk cheese), raisins, walnuts and cloves in it; but is not overly sweet.  The addition of red wine in the dough gives the bread a dark colour that looks like whole wheat flour is used to make it.  Traditionally these little loaves of bread are wrapped in grape leaves and baked in a wood-fired oven, and some bakeries in Todi still follow this tradition.  For a recipe click here → "Culinary Fool's"  Pan Nociato.

10* Chocolate - Perugia the capital city of Umbria is known for its chocolate; especially the chocolate Easter eggs that are eaten all over the world at Easter time.  Baci is my favourite store-bought chocolate (sorry Mom, not German chocolates). The little hazelnut "baci" or kisses come wrapped in a little message of love-in three languages Italian, French and English which make them even more fun to eat!





Of course, you must wash down all this beautiful Umbrian food with a glass of fabulous Umbrian wine, like the famous Sagrantino di Montefalco and perhaps cap off the meal with a small glass of the sweet and heavenly Vin Santo.  Click the link for more on the WINES OF UMBRIA. 

Buon Appetito!

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