Grass Pea - La Bona Usanza

The Cicerchia of Serra de' Conti

The Cicerchia of Serra de' Conti is a Slow Food Presidium

The cicerchia (grass pea) is the leguminous seed of an annual herbaceous plant quite similar to the chick pea plant. Its origin goes back a long way to the Middle East. The Greeks called it Lathiros, for the Romans it was Cicerula. In Italy, twenty or so varieties can be found cultivated in the center and south. Over the last fifty years its production has declined continuously. The preferred variety is flat and yellowish as it is easier to cook and has a fuller flavor. Like all pulses it is a very nourishing food. It has a high proportion of protein and plenty of starch but is low in fat. It contains vitamins, calcium, phosphorous and fiber.

In Serra de' Conti, in the heart of the Verdicchio wine countryside, the cicerchia is cultivated using techniques which have a low environmental impact. It is a particular variety, small and rough, mottled grey to brown. It does not need to be soaked or cooked for a long time and its skin is neither hard nor bitter. These characteristics give it its special flavor and capability to be used in both traditional and new recipes.