Pages

Friday, November 13, 2009

"Formentone" Otto File VS Traditional Polenta



The 8-row maize (Zea Mays) of Garfagnana, locally also known as "Formentone", was once widely cultivated throughout the valley, exclusively for use as food. Later it almost completely disappeared as a result of the depopulation of the mountain areas and the abandoning of crop farming. In recent times, the rediscovery and renewed popularity of typical and ancient products has convinced certain farmers of the region, who had continued to grow it, to devote special care to its cultivation, avoiding "contamination" with other varieties offering greater yield but inferior quality. It is a herbaceous plant, growing to a height of about two metres, bearing one or two ears per stem. The ears are long and covered by many coats of leaves. The mature kernels are an orangey yellow colour, with slight, more or less intense shading, round and fairly large. This crop does not have a high yield, but boasts nutritional features which now distinguish it as an excellent maize for polenta.

3 comments:

Comrade PhysioProf said...

I was in Garfagnana earlier this year, and bought some of the otto file corn flour. I am going to make polenta with it tomorrow.

Aurelio Barattini said...

Hello Comrade, thank you for comment. Eat Formentone with Rostcciana, lokk the recipe http://aureliobarattini.blogspot.com/2009/11/pork-ribs-with-bitter-olives.html

Comrade PhysioProf said...

Aurelio, I have posted my polenta cooking on my blog. I served it with grilled marinated shrimp, but will definitely be trying your pork ribs recipe in the future! If you have a risotto recipe you use at your restaurant, I would love for you to post it. I am an avid risotto maker!

http://physioprof.wordpress.com/2011/07/24/grilled-marinated-shrimp-with-otto-file-polenta/