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Todi has always been committed to conserving and exhalting its rural cultural traditions and heritage, for these make part of an important historical patrimony which should be passed onto new generations.
Todi’s rural traditions are today reflected by far in its local cuisine, whose recipes have forever been based on simplicity, on the natural flavours of their ingredients, a few yet genuine earth, forest and mountain grown products. Those who also wish to know Todi’s rich gastronomic traditions musn’t give up the savoury flavours of locally produced salami, best accompanied by our unsalted bread, or with our traditional “pizza sotto’ lfoco”, a type of focaccia also known as the “torta al testo”. Another local prelibacy is our cheesecake (which time ago was only made during the Easter period but today is found year round) with capocollo, another local cured meat delight.
Not to forget the bruschette(toasted bread) garnished with various delicious condiments and traditional schiacciate with rosemary, onion or tomatoe.
Among first plate dishes are found flavourful vegetable, barley and
other legume based soups, as well as “strangozzi”: a sort of large
rustic spaghetti handmade with wheat flour and water, and which based
on the season are eaten with tomato, asparagus, porcini or black truffle
sauces.
Another “poor” but savoury first dish is the corn polenta
garnished with a pork sausage ragù and pecorino cheese.
Pork, in rural Umbria, is considered the main meat , but along with this are
praised flavourful goose, duck, chicken, country pigeons, in addition to lamb
and veal which are often cooked on the grill, like the lamb based “scottadito
di agnello”(grilled lamb chop)
Other important dishes use hunted game as a base, among which the renowned
and delectable “dovebird” dish known as “palombe alla ghiotta”,
in addition to wild boar, hare and pheasant.
These extraordinary dishes born of mother earth are garnished with the exquisite texture and taste of local extra virgin olive oil (since 1997 boasting the world recognised quality control label guaranteeing and protecting local traditional food production: Denominazione di Origine Protetta D.O.P. “Umbria” sottozona “Colli Martani”), rare black truffles, porcini mushrooms and wild asparagus.
Typical dishes need just the right local wine accompaniment and among these, prize honour goes to the lightly fruity “Grechetto di Todi”, of which Plinio il Giovane in the 1st century A.C. already spoke about in his publication “Natural History”. Such long traditions have ensured various Todi wines - Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Grechetto di Todi - their entry into the worldclass D.O.C. wine category (Denominazione di Origine Controllata (D.O.C.) “Colli Martani”). Other marvelous wines are produced in the areas of Orvieto, Montefalco, Torgiano, Colli Perugini, Colli del Trasimeno, Colli Amerinia and Colli Altotiberini, all of which are D.O.C. Denominazioni di Origine Controllata quality labels.
E-mail: villaluisa@villaluisa.it