Via Emilia: Romagna Toscana, volcanello e bartolaccio
Forgotten recipe: frizzaglio
My passion for borderlands was born with me.
First of all, I, too, was born on a border, the one between Emilia and Romagna. In addition, my life is always on the border, hovering between this and that, up and down.
It's a difficult life. I mean it. Over time, I have found that people need fixed points, and boundaries create anxiety, almost as if they are there to challenge the established order. This unease, which can take many forms, eventually becomes impatience toward the stateless of feelings or identity documents.
I took note decades ago that I am a stateless feeling person. And that while I aspire to belong to places, groups, and people, by nature, after a while, shuns any dynamics of belonging.
If this digression into introspective self-analysis and the question of borders has not upset you, now you know how lovingly I will tell you about Romagna Toscana, which is not just a borderland, geographically speaking. The Romagna Toscana is a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but it has a distinct identity. Just like me.
Finally, I must state a certain sentimental issue that originates in the sedimentation of memories of outings, clear skies, scattered clouds, and lots of piadina. Tuscan Romagna is a tattoo of love.
The year I proposed to my Bolognese husband to leave to its discovery, an hour's drive from Bologna, he reacted enthusiastically. No, he didn't, but he didn't have the heart to dismantle mine. But then he didn't want to go back. That must mean something.
It was one of our best vacations.
Romagna Toscana, land of tales
This newsletter is a special issue of Via Emilia, the section of Fritto Misto dedicated to discovering my beautiful region: Emilia-Romagna.
Romagna Toscana or Romagna Fiorentina is a historical region of Italy.
The area, which geographically, linguistically, and culturally is Romagna, was dominated by Florence from the end of the 15th century to the 1920s, when the Fascist regime transferred almost all the municipalities of Romagna Toscana to Emilia-Romagna, significantly enlarging the province of Forlì where the Duce was born. With this operation, Mussolini also brought within the administrative boundaries of Romagna the source of the river sacred to the Romans: the Tiber, which has its source on Mount Fumaiolo (Verghereto, Romagna).
Historic Romagna Toscana included the municipalities of Bagno di Romagna, Dovadola, Galeata, Modigliana, Portico and San Benedetto, Premilcuore, Rocca San Casciano, Santa Sofia, Sorbano, Terra del Sole, Castrocaro, Tredozio, and Verghereto (today Romagna territories) and Firenzuola, Marradi and Palazzuolo sul Senio (still Tuscan).
Especially in these municipalities across the border, where people speak Romagnolo and eat piadina, the magic of Grand Ducal Romagna's past is rekindled.
These small villages are all perched on the Apennines. They are part of the Casentino Forests National Park, established in 1993 and located in the Romagna Toscana Apennines, straddling the provinces of Forlì-Cesena, Arezzo, and Florence. For this reason, you will find a mountain-like landscape and climate.
I recommend this itinerary from spring to late fall. The area offers many opportunities for those who love walking and trekking in the woods or practicing bicycle touring and those who, while appreciating nature, also seek history and gastronomy.
This land, where towers and castles stretch skyward, rich in fruits of the earth (mushrooms, Red Isabella grapes, and chestnuts), and intense flavors (strozzapreti, Fiorentina steak, and piadina), is for everyone.
Speaking of Red Isabella grape jam and piadina romagnola, on my blog finds a good recipe for the former, and below is the newsletter I dedicated to the latter
The itinerary I propose is an hour's drive from Bologna. You can organize a day trip, stay for a weekend, or even organize a vacation and, from there, leave to the Adriatic sea, returning to enjoy the fresh air and colors of the sunset.
The itenerary: Tredozio, Modigliana, Monte Busca / the vulcanello, Portico di Romagna, Marradi, Palazzuolo sul Senio
Tredozio
A small and authentic village. To be enjoyed slowly.
Visit Palazzo Fantini and its Italian garden (giardino all’Italiana).
Where to eat and/or stay: Locanda Guelfo. Try the typical sauce of Tredozio: a garlic sauce that cooks so long it becomes sweet. Remember to visit Stefano's greengrocer along the main street to buy local specialties such as mushrooms and fresh eggs. Bakeries are both worth trying. Weekly market day: Tuesday.
We found our corner of paradise at Agriville La Collina.
The perfect place to return to after a hike and enjoy a glass of wine lulled by the sound of the wind. Or where to spend a rejuvenating lazy day by the pool. The property includes Villa Vespignani, a splendid 16th-century villa with an Italian garden (the colors of ancient dahlia varieties will amaze you). You can visit it.
Modigliana
The visit takes a few hours. Walk up to the Roccaccia, which is what remains of the castle of the Guidi family, which had land and dwellings in this area in ancient times. Enter the 17th-century Palazzo Calubani to admire the interior staircase. If you smell good, you've probably arrived at the Gastronomia Antichi Sapori, where you can also stop for a meal (in case, book a place on the terrace in advance). Traditional pasta Romagnola and piadina are at their best.
Weekly market day: Saturday.
Monte Busca and the Little Volcano
If you think you'll never climb the highest volcano in the world, visit the smallest! Here I am, torn between telling the truth and exercising an honest, poetic license that is within the rights of writers. May I spoil the poetry of this image by saying that it is a burning fountain whose perpetual flame is due to the emanation of gaseous hydrocarbons that come in contact with oxygen?
However, the flame has been burning since 1500.
To get there, take the Portichese road from Tredozio and enjoy the exquisite beauty of the route. About 1.5 kilometers after meeting the Monte Busca hotel and restaurant, on the left, you will find a ruined house and a dirt plaza where you can leave your car. From there, continue on foot for a few minutes. Photo op, and off you go. Now, retrace your steps to eat at Monte Busca's restaurant. Homemade and genuine cuisine served with kindness. Try a local specialty called bartolaccio: a big tortello made with piadina dough stuffed with mashed potatoes, Parmesan cheese, bacon, or sausage cooked on the griddle (lastra). Basically, it is a mountain cress. In November, there is a bartolaccio festival in Tredozio.
Anyone interested in the recipe?
Portico of Romagna
It looks like a mountain village struck by a spell. Everything is clean, neat, and charming. The people, on the other hand, are disappearing. And to think that it was the capital of Romagna Toscana for a time. The poet Dante passed through here on his way to Ravenna’s exile. Don't miss the tour of the vegetable gardens and the Maestà Bridge (ponte della Maestà), a typical medieval Romagna humpback bridge.
Marradi
Marradi is famous for chestnut groves, chestnut cake, and chestnut flour.
Then, there is an old story about priests and brigands, an bad story in which Pellegrino Artusi was also involved. Maybe someday I'll tell you about the Passator Cortese, king of the road and king of the forest (and gorge cutter).
The visit is pleasant and quick. Mercatali's butcher shop is an institution. The Sartoni bakery is always worth a visit. Weekly market day: Monday.
Palazzolo sul Senio
It is a small medieval village from which many paths and stories begin. Local folklore still recounts the epic exploits of an adorable little girl, white blouse and pleated skirt with pink and white flowers, who first introduced the practice of nonviolent protests up here and peacefully peed herself in the middle of the square to claim the right to gelato, which, tell me if I'm wrong, can't be missed when you go on a Sunday outing with the family.
La Bottega dei Portici and Locanda Senio offer quality refreshments.
Weekly market day: Saturday.
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The forgotten recipe.
The frizzaglio
Friggione, fricandò and frizzaglio are traditional peasant recipes from Emilia-Romagna. Around Italy, there are many similar recipes under different names.
My mom remembers that frizzaglio, a recipe from Palazzuolo sul Senio, was a side served with grilled meat and polenta. I don't. I didn't remember it; maybe I was engaged in some peaceful demonstration.
The recipe does not call for garlic, although the word returns in the name. This is probably because the term frizai, in dialect, has been Italianized into frizzaglio. Frizai and frizàn or frizòn (friggione) both derive from frizàr (to fry in the sense of sautéing).
Having settled the name issue, I will only add that its unique feature is that the vegetables are cut into thin strips and that each ingredient should be added when the previous one has had time to brown.
Serves 4
Ingredients
300 g yellow or red bell pepper
200 g onion, any color you like
400 g of zucchini
300 g carrots
4 chopped ripe tomatoes or 100 g tomato puree
100 g water at room temperature
Olive oil and salt to taste
Method
Wash the vegetables; removing the skin of the onion and then the seeds and inner filaments of the bell pepper; cut the ends of zucchini and carrots.
Cut all the vegetables into strips, keeping them separate.
In a pan lightly greased with olive oil, lightly brown the peppers, adding a pinch of salt. When they are soft, add the onion and cook for 10 minutes on a medium-small stove, stirring.
Then, add the carrots and zucchini together as well. Season with salt and stir.
Pour the fresh tomatoes cut in pieces or the sauce, and water.
Stir and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes.
Store in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
Use frizzaglio as a side, to make croutons, season pasta, or create a unique dish by adding, for example, chicken bocconcini. You can also use frizzaglio and friggione with grilled or fried polenta slices.
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Write to me if you have any questions, a story you'd like to read, or a recipe you'd like to try. See you next Friday.
Ciao, Monica
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such a great adventure We will be arriving in Montepulciano in 29/09 Spending 9 weeks in Salerno We will be enjoying most of a week in Tuscany Hope to work some of your adventure into ours Thank you