QUALITALY_131

October/November 202 2 XII MAGAZINE Its size varies: it could be as big as a walnut or as big as an apple, however its shape is rounded and irregular, with a rough but not angular surface. The land of St Francis is also known for its pulses and soups, one of which is the imbrecciata, which simmers spelt, corn and barley, along with chickpeas, beans, lentils and broad beans. Every town and every family has its own recipe of the imbrecciata. The best-known pulse in the region, but also appreciated outside its borders, is the Lenticchia di Castelluccio di Norcia Igp, called Lénta by the Castelluccini. The use of the Castelluccio lentil is very old: it flowers between May and August, sown when the snow cover has completely melted, and is harvested between the end of July and the beginning of August. Also common in the area is Monteleone di Spoleto PDO spelt , the only species of spelt that does not produce white flour. This variety is generally cooked grainy to make meatballs and soups, but can also be used, af ter cooking it suf ficiently, to make supplì, salads and galette, and then ground to make tarts, sandwiches, biscuits and focaccia. FROM THE STARS TO THE STABLES... Other products that make this land, rich in woods and meadows, special are the sausages and salamis that individual families produce for their own needs, and the numerous charcuterie factories scat tered throughout the territor y, especially around Norcia. The various cured meats in the area include Capocollo umbro, made from the back muscle of the pig, which is ver y tast y thanks to the processing stages that precede its sale: salting, peppering, packing and maturing for a maximum of 60 days; the coglione del mulo , made from the muscular par t of the pig’s neck , whose flavour is a mix between the savouriness of salami and the delicacy of ham; then the Sella di San Venanzio , made from the pig’s shoulder, whose flavour is intense and genuine and, lastly, truf fle sausages .