The distinctive dish of winter in Garfagnana

January has always been the month dedicated to traditional pork cooking, with pork butchers that, from house to house, transformed the meat into delicacies such as hams, shoulder hams, biroldi, salami and mondiole, destined to season in the “ciglieri” (where the pigs were kept). Since “nothing of the pig is thrown away”, even the bones had their moment of celebrity.

The bones, from cuts such as steak, breast and trotters, with a fair amount of meat attached, were soaked for several hours, flavored with rosemary, cinnamon and pepper. Then, drained and arranged in layers in a large basin, they were covered with coarse salt and left in a cool, dry place for at least ten days. Once ready, they were washed thoroughly under running water to remove excess salt and boiled in plenty of water for more than two hours.

While the bones were cooking, polenta made with chestnut flour was prepared, which in Garfagnana is called Neccio Flour, now a Protected Designation of Origin. In autumn, the precious fruits of the chestnut tree are still harvested by hand, dried for forty days in “metati”, small buildings built of wood and stone in the woods, where the fire is made exclusively with chestnut wood. After careful manual selection, the dried chestnuts are ground in water mills, turning them into a soft and delicate smelling flour, ready to make polenta.

In the cauldron, as the lightly salted water reached a boil, the neccio flour was slowly added, stirring with a wooden spoon to prevent lumps from forming. It was left to cook for about half an hour, after which it was tipped onto the “little table” and brought directly to the center of the table, where diners served themselves by cutting slices with the “cavicchio”.  Polenta is still served with pork bones, previously drained and piping hot.

The sweet-salty contrast is very distinctive, but for those who do not like it, you can always accompany the polenta with ricotta or a fresh cheese.