by Silvia Matricardi
Most of you probably know that the area of Valnerina-Castelluccio is famous for the production of legumes. We, Umbrians, have been eating lots of legumes since our early childhood, as they are a highly nutritious and healthful food that brings very high quality proteins to the body.
Anyway, even after more than 30 years of eating legumes, sometimes it happens that you find out one that you have never had before, which has been the basic element of nourishment for many of your fellow Umbrians.
The occasion was given to us by a group of 15 guests visiting our region a couple of weeks ago.
We took them to Castelluccio, a beautiful place IN Umbria (see details on our article “Castelluccio dressing white”, dated March 23rd 2010), for a glance at the beautiful plateau and a taste of our typical products.
And there we found it: the roveja.
And we immediately became visitors ourselves, eager to know more about it.
And to have it, of course!
The roveja (pisum arverse) is a small wild pea which can be called also by different names, such as roveglia, corbello, pea of the fields, rubiglio. It can be found in Valnerina area and in the past it represented mountain people’s essential means of nourishment, together with other legumes and cereals. They told us that local people were eating a lot of it at the beginning of the 20th century, when our country was going through a severe period of hunger; when bad times were over people were so sick of eating it that they would not want to have it anymore. So the cultivation was abandoned (also because of the difficult processes related to its harvest).
It spontaneously grows on the slopes or in the fields at an altitude between 600 to 1200m, it is harvested between the end of July and the beginning of August and threshed like lentils are. It has got coloured seeds tending from dark green to browning-grey or red.
Roveja can be consumed in the form of soups or ground into flour between stones.
Anyway, even after more than 30 years of eating legumes, sometimes it happens that you find out one that you have never had before, which has been the basic element of nourishment for many of your fellow Umbrians.
The occasion was given to us by a group of 15 guests visiting our region a couple of weeks ago.
We took them to Castelluccio, a beautiful place IN Umbria (see details on our article “Castelluccio dressing white”, dated March 23rd 2010), for a glance at the beautiful plateau and a taste of our typical products.
And there we found it: the roveja.
And we immediately became visitors ourselves, eager to know more about it.
And to have it, of course!
The roveja (pisum arverse) is a small wild pea which can be called also by different names, such as roveglia, corbello, pea of the fields, rubiglio. It can be found in Valnerina area and in the past it represented mountain people’s essential means of nourishment, together with other legumes and cereals. They told us that local people were eating a lot of it at the beginning of the 20th century, when our country was going through a severe period of hunger; when bad times were over people were so sick of eating it that they would not want to have it anymore. So the cultivation was abandoned (also because of the difficult processes related to its harvest).
It spontaneously grows on the slopes or in the fields at an altitude between 600 to 1200m, it is harvested between the end of July and the beginning of August and threshed like lentils are. It has got coloured seeds tending from dark green to browning-grey or red.
Roveja can be consumed in the form of soups or ground into flour between stones.
That day in Castelluccio our host, Gianni (whose father manages the Consorzio for the protection of local legumes), served it as part of our antipasto-course, on a slice of bruschetta (roasted bread) cooked in the traditional way.
It was delicious: its taste reminds a little of lentils, maybe a little stronger, as it is a very tasty legume.
It was delicious: its taste reminds a little of lentils, maybe a little stronger, as it is a very tasty legume.
Which was the perfect food for a stormy day like that one was.
We immediately got a pack of roveja together with the official recipe, which we are going to try soon. And write an article about, of course!
Our American friends did the same and so I like to imagine that these days in some homes all over Massachussets, Pennsylvania and Florida, some lucky families are having their own roveja for dinner and tasting a little of far-off, wholesome Umbria.
P.S. By the way, did you know that besides most common legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans there are many others, typical of different areas in Umbria? We found out some of them: the risina, the bean of the eye or monachella, the bean of Cave, the roveja (of course!) and the cicerchia. Do you know other legumes?
Specific information about roveja has been taken from “Enogastronomicae” edited by Sistema Turistico Locale Valli e Monti dell’Umbria Antica.
P.S. By the way, did you know that besides most common legumes such as lentils, chickpeas and beans there are many others, typical of different areas in Umbria? We found out some of them: the risina, the bean of the eye or monachella, the bean of Cave, the roveja (of course!) and the cicerchia. Do you know other legumes?
Specific information about roveja has been taken from “Enogastronomicae” edited by Sistema Turistico Locale Valli e Monti dell’Umbria Antica.
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