The secret is all in the land, in that valley of Comino, washed by the waters of the Melfa, which flows from a high limestone rock in the Canneto Valley at 1020 meters on the Lazio side of the National Park of Abruzzo Lazio and Molise, remembered by Strabo as "big river". The spring has been linked to legends and popular devotions since ancient times. Among the various hypotheses, the most accredited would derive the name of the river from Mefite, an Italic divinity venerated by the Samnite populations above all in areas characterized by the presence of sulphurous waters, whose cult was therefore linked to the waters, and who was therefore invoked for fertility of the fields. And, as often happens, when it comes to fertility, the goddess Mefite was also invoked by pregnant women or by women who were unable to carry on a pregnancy.
But what interests us is that these waters are rich in manganese which has impregnated over the centuries the lands bordering the river Melfa and its tributary Rio Mollarino. And it is precisely the strong presence of this mineral element in the soil, called Focaleto, which performs the miracle. Because the Atina bean, small, with one delicate skin, opaque white, floury, grown exclusively in this restricted area, has a unique characteristic, the integument that covers it, or the peel, is so thin that it makes the Cannellino di Atina bean more tender than any other. But above all it is the only one, which even after months does not need to be soaked before cooking. And speaking of cooking times are 60 minutes from the moment the water boils.
Its sweetness makes it very versatile, it is used from soups to desserts, but it is its flavor that makes it unmistakable. The mineral salts settled in the Focaleso they give it a delicate but full flavour, to the point that to fully appreciate its qualities the locals suggest simply boiling it and seasoning it with oil and salt and a dash of pepper. The surprise - experienced by the writer - is that even if cooked in such a simple way, on the palate it is as if it had been elaborated and seasoned. In short, a real discovery in the kitchen. One of the old traditional recipes in which it is used is for "Pappafuocchie" made with beans, extra virgin olive oil, flour, water, salt, garlic, onion, celery, tomato sauce and chilli pepper.
The first news on the cultivation of the cannellino bean of Atina date back to 1811. Some agronomists of that time report information on the quantities produced (much higher than today's ones) and also dwell on the taste, defining it as "bean of excellent quality".
But this was not enough to ensure him a profitable future. In fact, for at least two centuries the Atina bean was if not the exclusive, certainly the most recurring food of the peasants who were particularly poor in these parts and could not afford anything else. In the registers of 1853 two varieties are noted: the red bean and the white cannellino. Even traces of the first have been lost. The reason for this harsh existence of Cannellino di Atina – today rightfully entered in the list of Slow Food principals due to its qualities and because its cultivation has been gradually abandoned by the farmers of the area - lies in the poor yield of the product compared to the cultivated land and the high processing costs.
It is true that in the second half of the XNUMXth century, in the wake of the agrarian reforms which aimed to improve the agricultural production of the new Kingdom of Italy, Cannellino experienced a moment of fortune. Numerous canals were built to direct the water of the Melfa river towards the cultivated fields. Thanks in particular to Pasquale Visocchi, agronomist, entrepreneur, owner of an important paper mill, who had several important intuitions that made him famous also abroad. One of which was to reintroduce – by tackling the problem scientifically – the practice, once used by the Romans, of green manuring legumes for the production in the atmosphere of nitrogen useful for plants. Specifically, Visocchi favored the construction of numerous canals which captured the waters of the Melfa river, previously unused as they were considered too cold for the cultivation of delicate species such as cannellini beans, demonstrating that on the contrary, it could be done with the shrewdness in proceeding with the irrigation of cultivated fields in the cool hours before dawn.
But if this gave new life to the Cannellini crops, in reality the crop was increasingly abandoned in the 900s. The farmers preferred to replace the crops of the "poor" Cannellini beans with other types of beans, with higher yields and quicker processing and therefore also greater profitability.
To get an idea, just think of the processing stages. The sowing of the Cannellini takes place between the end of June and the beginning of July. The harvest is done by hand from September until the second half of October, when the chromatic change of the pod from green to yellow takes place. Then the bean plants are aggregated in bunches and dried in very ventilated roomsi. Then we move on to manual beating and then shelling of the pods which are collected and stored in jute bags. At this point they are selected by hand by the local people.
One can well understand then why the cultivation of this bean has been abandoned over time. Few family-run businesses have survived over time, cultivating this type of bean with passion and skill using techniques handed down from father to son for generations: the seed which is manually self-produced at the company level jealously guarded by each of these families.
Fortunately, in 2010 the Cannellino di Atina bean was recognized as a protected designation of origin (PDO) and this was its salvation together with its recognition in the list of principals of the Slow Food foundation. And from a marginal culture it has turned into a real gastronomic treasure not only for consumers but also for the farmers of Atina who have resumed the cultivation of this precious legume with unmistakable flavours.
Carlo Giannandrea, president of the consortium of the Cannellino di Atina beans specifies that currently there are a total of 20 DOP producers, but in reality those who produce it are actually reduced to no more than 10. “The reason why there are only a few left to produce this marvel of the palate – he explains – is that it can be cultivated with very expensive techniques, because all the processes are manual. With the recognition of the DOP, fortunately the negative trend has stopped and today we are witnessing a turnaround with an increase in production. These are mostly family businesses.
Only in two cases did we arrive at consistent production activities, in the sense that two companies produce on an area of 5 hectares, which is no small thing for a niche bean like ours. In total there are 6 municipalities involved: Atina, Villa Latina, Casalvieri, Picinisco, Casalattico, Gallinaro, all in the province of Frosinone . Production – adds Giannandrea – is around 45 quintals per year. Fortunately, however, the product is starting to make itself known to chefs and gourmets and I am confident that the cultivation of our bean can once again become a good source of income for our populations".
One of the old tradition recipes in which it is used is for the "Fireweed” based on beans, extra virgin olive oil, flour, water, salt, garlic, onion, celery, tomato sauce and chilli pepper.
First&Food's suggestion
Le Cannardizie restaurant
Piazza Garibaldi (Portula Strait)
030042 Atina (FR)
tel 3401424611
0776609297
Le Cannardizie, which gives its name to the restaurant, stands for delicacy in the local dialect. Patrizia Patini, the owner, conceives her restaurant as a full immersion in the kitchen, obviously, in the local products that she sells, in the history that she has condensed in a series of publications, in the events she promotes to make Atina and its territory known. The restaurant is located in the center of the town inside the Visocchi Brothers' winery (1868) also known as Cantina Visocchi. Inside the restaurant a sort of small museum of ancient customs has been found with oenological tools, industrial archeology and various museum objects. In every scale you perceive the scent and the charm of the history of the "Cabernet Sauvignon" produced with no small audacity in Atina by the legendary agronomist Pasquale Visocchi. The restaurant has two rooms with 90 seats and a panoramic terrace overlooking the Comino valley. “Since 2002 we have been linked to the identity and quality of the raw material, two fundamental points for the style of our work – declares Patrizia Patini – those who frequent us can get to know the foods closely, check their origin and buy them. We organize small events in collaboration with producers and local authorities in order to enhance food and wine tourism, we publish books and promote training campaigns to guarantee the health of consumers".
Chef Vittorio Bastianelli's recipe
La Pasta and Cannellini Beans or Pappaffuocchie
Ingredients for 4 people
- 100g of diced pork cheek
- 250gr of Cannellini beans from Atina DOP already cooked
- 350gr/of Pappaffuocchie (maltagliata pasta composed only of water and flour)
- 1 clove of minced garlic and 1 fresh chilli
- Plenty of extra virgin olive oil, salt and chopped parsley
First of all prepare the Pappaffuocchie, then put your hands in the dough and as soon as you have your dough ready, roll out a fairly thick sheet with a rolling pin; cut into strips about ten centimeters long, place on a chopping board and cover the pieces to prevent them from drying out.
In a pan, put 4 tablespoons of EVO oil, brown your garlic with the chilli pepper and the diced bacon; when everything is golden brown, add the cannellini beans with a little liquid from their cooking, add salt if necessary and brown and season well.
In the meantime, bring the water to the boil in a nice large pot, add salt and cook your Pappaffuocchie for a few minutes, taste and when they are cooked proceed as follows:
Drain the pasta and dip it in the pan with the sauce, let it infuse by mixing carefully and add the chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot and not too soupy.
Chef's tip: pour the contents into an earthenware bowl instead of using the classic ceramic plate.
