“The poor meat” of the past: the green beans

The editorial of  Paesaggiritrovati.it meets on the board typical legume of this season: the beans. Usually eaten fresh, along with pasta or as a main course very simple, and in some cases dried, they are an integral part of Italian spring menu. In particular, this food is not lacking in the diet of a small town in the province of Enna: Leonforte. Here, to be recognized as a true delicacy is the peasant “Wide Bean”, which entered fully into the basket of typical products of Mediterranean diet.

The Leonforte Legume has many advantages: as the name suggests, it is wide, has an easy to cook, very tasty and slightly chalky. But the real distinctiveness of this bean is its method of cultivation. Cultural operations, in fact, are still performed manually, through a typical farmer hoe tool, as well as they did centuries ago, the Egyptians and Romans first then.

The bean is, in fact, an ancient legume: just think that traces of this food were found in Egyptian tombs and Neolithic villages of around 5.ooo years ago, despite the fact that according to what is handed down by folk legends it just did not enjoy a good reputation. According to superstition backed by none other than Pythagoras, in fact, this seemed to be connected to the world of the dead, so that even today is consumed on the occasion of the commemoration of the dead.

Popular beliefs aside, the ‘pods’ as they are called in another region of Italy, Tuscany, are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals, provide a fair sense of satiety, while not containing a lot of calories, as well as ensure a proper intake of fiber, helping the intestinal regularity. Ultimately, the bean, food as ancient as healthy and nutritious, this time there are also the undisputed queen of taste, thanks to the different gastronomic variations around Italy. From noodles with broad beans and pecorino cheese, much beloved in the capital, via the traditional mashed the northern regions, up to the classic but delicious dish of beans with bacon, typical kitchens of the South

R.C.