The “Fagiolina arsolana” bean, a staple food for the people of Arsola until at least the 1950s, is still cooked today using traditional methods.
In ancient times, farmers would place the beans in a pine cone filled with water and place it in the embers of the hearth, so that they would be ready when they returned from the fields in the evening.
Like all dried legumes, the “Fagiolina” must be kept in water (soaked) for at least twelve hours before cooking.
The main dish prepared with the Fagiolina arsolana is “Ciciarchiole,” a soup made with Fagiolina arsolana and pasta cut into small squares, which is still very popular today during the festival, now in its 58th edition.
Preparation:
The dough is made with wheat flour, water, and a few eggs to help bind it together. It is rolled out by hand on a pastry board, kneaded several times until it becomes a thin sheet, which is then rolled into strips and cut into large squares. The pasta is then left to dry on a rough cloth.
The beans are boiled in a pot, bringing the water to a boil and keeping it at the right temperature until cooked.
Meanwhile, the sauce is prepared separately with fresh tomatoes, oil, celery stalks, carrots, and bacon scraps, to which the boiled beans are then added and left to cook for a few more minutes.
Pour the square-shaped pasta (Ciciarchiole) into the pot of boiling water and cook until it rises to the surface.
At this point, some of the pasta cooking water is drained off and the prepared sauce is added in the right proportion (the soup should be rich in beans – 30/40 grams raw per person).
After mixing everything well, the “Ciciarchiole” are ready to be served hot as a first course.
