GASTRONOMY
As with art and culture, Città di Castello’s gastronomy also expresses its characteristics as a transit hub and meeting point for peoples and traditions. It so happens, then, that the same traces of Tuscan, Umbrian, Marches and Roman elements we find at the dinner table can also be heard in the local dialect or observed in the architecture of the buildings. The agricultural and natural spirit of the Upper Tiber Valley is found in the great variety of crostini (croutons) served with agricultural produce such as artichokes, truffles and almonds. For meat lovers there are recipes for l’oca arrosto imporchettata (herb-infused roasted goose) or fagiano all’uva bianca o al tartufo (pheasant with white grapes or truffle). And fans of polenta need never fear, since there are numerous variations, such as polenta with sheep’s meat sauce, mushrooms and sausage or liver. The liveliness of the dishes, however, preserves the frugality and simplicity of the produce, which is all the result of human labour and of a land rich in agricultural traditions. It is not surprising, therefore, that Città di Castello’s typical dish is baggiana, a very simple soup made with broad beans, tomatoes and basil, which is generally served with a tigella, a sort of small flat-bread made with flour, salt and water, which also pairs perfectly with cold cuts, such as ham and salami, and cheeses.
OLIVE OIL AND WINE
For the first time, in April 2018, Città di Castello became the hub of a new event organized by Fiera Show, in collaboration with AIS (Italian Association of Sommeliers) and sponsored by the Ministry of Agricultural Policies. The event is called “Only Wine Festival” and is a bone-fide exhibition and market-place for young producers of Wine and small Wineries. The 100 best products selected by AIS at the national level liven up the streets of the Umbrian historic city centre, allowing hundreds of visitors to savour the genuine aromas and flavours of the finest wines. Umbria and Città di Castello thus once again demonstrate their top-class credentials as custodians of tradition and good taste.
And on the subject of tradition, we should not neglect to mention l’oleificio Ranieri (Ranieri oil mill) located on the lush green hills on the outskirts of the city. Since 1930, and with a passion handed down through three generations starting from the founder Domenico Ranieri, it has been providing the authentic flavour of extra virgin olive oil D.O.P. “UMBRIA” to tourists and locals alike.