Etruskey

Welcome to the second episode of the Etruskey podcast (pronounced “Etruschì”), which is entitled “Incanto del sole” [Enchantment of the Sun], a journey that will show you all about Etruscan food and wine as stand out features of the hospitality and culture in the area. As we look at the protected crops and meadows, the wineries, wines, extra virgin olive oil and typical produce, we will see what is behind the traditional foods and wines of southern Etruria, the place where the world’s flavours have been landing since ancient times.

Our taste journey begins with the discovery of a dish that can be found all over southern Etruria: acquacotta, a special soup that, for centuries has been served as the daily dish for the drovers of Tuscany, more famously known as Butteri. A peasant dish, prepared with a base of stale bread, using available products from the land. Other essential ingredients include herbs, such as mint and thyme, easily found growing in the countryside, . This is fundamentally the best-known base for making acquacotta but every area has its own “revised” version. Traditional hostelries still have this dish on their menus today. Acquacotta with chicory is definitely the most traditional. It should be cooked, if possible, in a large clay pot filled with salt water, together with mint, potatoes cut into four pieces, sliced onion, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and of course, chilli pepper to add a piquant touch to the dish.

But let’s take a look at the local produce, typical recipes and dishes you really shouldn’t miss.

The first stop on this journey is Allumiere, a municipality located in the Tolfa mountains. We are 522 metres above sea level, where the main product is durum wheat, accompanied by wine cookies, honey, truffles, porcini mushrooms and chestnuts. The chestnuts in this region have a history dating back to ancient times, when they were once known as tree bread and were an essential, irreplaceable resource for peasants in the area when other ingredients were in short supply. Chestnuts were doubtless an important part of local diets and combined with other foods, they were used to create a range of different dishes. Today, one of the typical foods of Allumiere is a cake made with chestnuts. Castagnaccio. Chestnut trees also offered other advantages, such as wood for building or for making fires, as well as the possibility to use the chestnut groves as grazing areas for livestock. Today, the vast area of Allumiere - some 7000 hectares - is at the forefront of agriculture and organic livestock farming. The vast amount of organic durum wheat grown here has made it possible to make and sell the area’s traditional yellow bread, a special type of bread, baked in a wood oven following traditions that date back to the Middle Ages. This bread’s unique flavour has made it a great success, including with Americans and today, yellow bread is exported to and sold in various states of the US.

Moving towards Viterbo, we find Barbarano Romano, a municipality located in one of the most important archaeological areas of southern Etruria, Here, cultivated fields alternate with grazing land and uncultivated areas, where it is not hard to find steep rock faces of tuff, over one hundred metres high. It has been said that in prehistoric times, this place was home to a Bronze Age village, and the settlement of Marturanum was founded in this very area, during the Etruscan period. What we do know for sure about this settlement comes from the Middle Ages. In this period, the town was strongly contested by Rome and Viterbo, and in the 14th century it became the fiefdom of the Anguillara family, then of the Orsinis and in the 15th century, of the Borgias. Suspended between the historic and modern worlds, in the peace and tranquillity of these silent mediaeval streets, you will find all the flavours of Etruscan fare that have been satisfying the hearty appetites of butteri and hunters for centuries, with meat-based dishes, but also cheeses and nuts. Walnuts are in fact the key ingredient of one of the area’s traditional cakes, the Nociata, which is covered in bay leaves.
Barbarano is very attached to its traditions, which it celebrates with different feasts. For example, the first Sunday in May is a feast day dedicated to food. It is known as the Attozzata and consists of preparing ricotta cheese in old recipients known as “callare”, which are placed over a burning fire by shepherds from the area. While it is still warm, the ricotta is served on “tozzi”, pieces of durum wheat bread.

If we head into the neighbouring municipality to Barbarano Romano, we come to Blera, also in the province of Viterbo. Blera was above all an Etruscan town before it became a Roman one. The Via Clodia passes through here, connecting the Via Cassia and the Via Aurelia, which made it possible to transfer soldiers at speed but even more so, to trade. Blera also benefited from this link. It is possible to still see and visit numerous Etruscan settlements here, including the Necropolis of Pian del Vescovo and the Necropolis della Casetta.
Wine and oil are sacred in Blera; so much so that a traditional celebration of wine and new oil is held every year, when travelling groups and street artists come to the town’s streets to stage some of its most important traditional events. Of the main local delicacies, we really ought to mention the truffle and in particular, the Bianco d’alba white truffle and the Nero di Norcia black. Typical dishes here include Stratto al Tartufo, a long pasta, similar to lombrichelli, served with a simple dusting of truffle to add aroma and consistency to the finished result.

On the subject of traditions, especially those linked to the quality of oil, we can move on to Monte Romano, a town between the Cimini mountains and the sea, the Maremma and Rome, which is well known for its Maremman meat and extra virgin olive oil. Monte Romano is just a short distance from Tarquinia, with which it shares the same history, traditions and cuisine. Thanks to the impervious, hostile hills, however, Monte Romano is where Maremman cattle farming developed, and this is celebrated every year in the second half of August. These herds, run by butteri on horseback, represent the true wealth of the area. In fact butchering and grinding this meat, which are processes carried out by experts, is a genuine art form that is handed down over the years, from father to son. This meat, which is unique in flavour, is doubtless one of the most important points of pride in the Italian cuisine that is loved all over the world.

Surrounding by brilliant green meadows and unique panoramas, Tolfa is a little municipality in the hills of Etruria, not too far from Civitavecchia. This village is where archaeological remains from the Stone, Copper and Bronze ages have all been found. Although it is a popular destination today, with many people visiting from Rome, in ancient times it was owned by the Holy See. Tolfa is therefore a little town that is packed with history, where you can breathe in the clean air and also enjoy some great food. The traditional cuisine in Tolfa is normally known as “poor cuisine”, food with its roots and traditions in Etruscan and Roman fare: plain dishes but packed with flavour, like onion and tomato soup, or panzanella, made with yellow bread from Tolfa, baby tomatoes, salt, water and olive oil. Some guests say that the best acquacotta comes from here, while the locals say that the cream of their cuisine is their salt cod in sweet and sour sauce with onions, raisins, dried apple quarters, dried plums, dried bitter cherries and chilli pepper. You need to taste it to believe it, also because this is an area where meat, including steaks and charcuterie, reigns supreme.

As we move to the coast, we come to Ladispoli. Before the arrival of the Romans, it was an area ruled over by Caeres, now known by the name of Cerveteri, one of the most powerful cities in the whole of Etruscan history. Today, Ladispoli, once past its first century of life, has become one of the largest cities in Lazio, and a place where history has left its mark. In fact, here it is possible to visit the Etruscan necropolises of “Monteroni” and “Vaccina”, as well as ancient Roman villas dating back to the 3rd century BCE. History, heritage and stunning views of the sea, together with food and wine that includes a wide variety of dishes just waiting to be discovered, and where the mountains meet the sea, made with fresh, wholesome ingredients. Dishes that have a great deal in common with Roman traditions. While on the subject of Romans, not everybody knows that Ladispoli is home to the carciofo romanesco, a variety of artichoke that every year is celebrated with a festival that attracts many visitors, including from outside Italy. And when it comes to artichokes, there’s a false myth that needs to be disproved: the one that says artichokes do not go with wine. This idea has its roots in reality but it is no way the absolute truth, especially for those who like their cuisine reinterpreted and a little bit more experimental. A well chosen combination can bring out the unique flavour of the artichoke without diminishing its flavour - the reason why water is often recommended.

Continuing our journey into the flavours of southern Etruria, we come to the food and wine of Cerveteri. Here, documents show that wine was already being made in the time of the Etruscans. Today, as well as the archaeology parks, the UNESCO World Heritage sites such as the Necropolis of Banditaccia, and museums, there are also many wineries to visit. Many dishes describe this cuisine, with its wealth of condiments and prevalence of meat, but of them all, there is one dish - or rather, cake - that has made history. It is known as the mostacciolo and takes its name from the Latin “mustaceum”, indicating a cake made with grape must or in any case, with fermented fruit juice. In ancient times, Romans used must to make cakes, boiling it or mixing it into biscuit dough.

Mostacciolo started out as a diamond-shaped biscuit, typically made during the grape harvest, although, over time it has become a typical Christmas treat, thanks to the addition of chocolate, dried figs, and almonds. There is even a legend about mostacciolo that tells how the biscuits were made by one Jacopa de’ Settesoli who, being most devout, dedicated her life to helping with the charitable works of the monks, becoming a friend of St Francis for many years. This legend also says that on his death bed, St Francis asked Jacopa to bring him her famous biscuits.

If you want to enjoy the aroma of freshly baked bread, Canale Monterano is the ideal place for you, where bread is the very emblem of this place, as well as being one of the values of a great culture for doing things well. In fact, in Canale, bread has been made following the ancient recipes of master bakers for over four hundred years: excellent flour, sourdough starter, water, a wood oven, and no salt. But if you think that there are endless loaves of bread or bread rolls to be found all over town, then perhaps you’ll be disappointed, but not too much. Because the philosophy followed here teaches us that to do something well takes time, dedication, sacrifice and skill. A great loaf is made with the fire of passion and Canale Monterano has all the ingredients.

When it comes to vegetables, the most interesting crops come from the municipality of Tarquinia, where they mainly grow tomatoes, asparagus, fennel, garlic and the carciofo romanesco artichoke, with its characteristic round shape, lack of spikes, and greenish purple colour. The olive oil from Tarquinia, made from the area’s typical varieties of olive, has a low grade of acidity, and a sweet balanced flavour. This municipality is also home to vineyards of Tuscan Trebbiano, Malvasia, Sangiovese, and Montepulciano grapes, which form the base for Tarquinia DOC wine. Maremman cattle are bred here and supply meat of the very highest quality. A locally made essential for any table are the cured meats that include capocollo and lonza, and ultra-fresh cheeses such as ricotta, giuncate, and caciotta. Traditional recipes include the frittata with wild asparagus, and many more that use ingredients found growing in the Tarquinia woods, such as the golden chanterelle mushroom.

As we move northwards, we come to Montalto del Castro. The abundance of green asparagus grown here, makes this area a must for the spring season.
What makes this product so special is its bright green colour, but above all, the lack of the usual woody stem that is generally discarded. In fact, it is known for being eaten in its entirety and it grows exclusively in Canino, Montalto, and Tarquinia.
The food and wine in this village in the Maremma area of Lazio includes several typical crops, including particularly sweet and juicy melons, so good they have their own dedicated festival.
A wide selection of vegetables is grown there, including beans, romaine lettuce, spinach, and chard.

Just a few kilometres from Montalto is Civitavecchia, where there is a strong fishing sector. A tradition, passed down through time, is that local inhabitants buy their fish from trusted fishermen as soon as they land their catch. A typical dish is the “Civitavecchiese” fish soup. Garlic is gently fried in plenty of olive oil with chilli pepper, then octopus is added, along with a little wine. This is followed by chopped tomatoes and parsley. At this point, the fish that needs cooking for longer is added to the pot (mantis shrimp, gurnard, redfish, tub gurnard, etc.), along with a mazzumaja [sardine] stock, and the whole thing is brought to the boil. The last things to go in the pot are the more tender fish (black bream, pandora, etc.) and the shellfish, and with some salt to taste, the dish is left to cook. This soup is served with fried bread crostini.
A typical cookie for the Christmas period is the Civitavecchia biscuit, which has an unmistakable shape, obtained by cutting long sections of dough - made with flour, butter, sugar, eggs, hazelnuts, almonds, vanilla, dark chocolate chips, citrus zest and sambuca - on the diagonal.
Finally, the “Easter pizza” or “Civitavecchia pizza”, a typical snack for the period, served as Easter breakfast with hard-boiled eggs and cold cuts. The ingredients include flour, sugar, butter, sheep ricotta, aniseeds, cinnamon, vanilla, must, wine or sambuca or other liqueur such as alchermes, marsala, and a sourdough starter.

If you want to enjoy the local catch and the dishes made with it, Santa Marinella is definitely the place to go along this part of the coast, where the local restaurants offer a typical cuisine of meat and fish, even if this latter is most sought after. Sea urchins are the main local delicacy, and spaghetti with sea urchins is one of the most popular dishes. Locally caught fish, including sea bream, sea bass, cod and octopus can be bought at the little port of Santa Marinella, straight from the boats and these are the main ingredients used for sea food here.

Our food journey ends here, with the aromas, ideas, traditions and reinterpretations of an Etruria that is still very much alive today. We know that an area’s history is written in its locations, and in the changes that people have made there. It is also written in the words of those who have told it and in the images of those who have committed it to memory. But there is also a piece of history in traditional dishes that reflect the values of a unique area, such as our own.