 Once upon a time there were, and in Abruzzo fortunately there are still, the "Virtù".
Harmony of legumes, vegetables, herbs, meat and pasta, made with patience and meticulousness, the “Virtù” are a hot and very good dish that the tradition of the Italian region of Abruzzo wants to be served at May Day to mark the transition from winter to spring.
The recipe of the "Virtù" is ancient: it rooted in the Roman rural world and then became typical of the province of Teramo, where it is still deep-rooted.
The "Virtù” were born by the spring custom of empting the kitchen cupboard and mixing all the leftovers of winter with the field firstlings to celebrate with the community the arrival of warm weather.
Dish that the legend would be linked to the sacredness of the number seven (like the meal of threshing and Christmas Eve dinner), in reality the "Virtù" have a number of ingredients much greater.
Broad beans, peas, beans of various quality, chick peas and lentils are the legumes to be soaked, separately, on the evening of April 30.
A lot of vegetables must be cooked together in an earthenware pot with chopped herbs and forcemeat: courgettes, carrots, potatoes, artichokes, beets, endive, prickly lettuce, lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, chicory, spinach, fennel, turnips.
Here are the herbs you need: garlic, onion, marjoram, sage, thyme, celery, parsley, dill, nutmeg, cloves, pepper or hot pepper, wild mint, borage, wild fennel, basil.
Here are the meat from which to obtain a delicious soup: ham, pork feet, ears and cotiche, minced meat of beef, bacon, loin, guanciale, meat balls of beef.
Here are the pasta to be boiled and added in the pot: hard wheat and fresh egg noodles of various shapes and sizes.
Other ingredients: oil, salt, tomato pulp and grated cheese.
Abundant doses and a slow and complex preparation lead to the "Virtù", dish to be presented to the neighbors at May Day in all the province of Teramo to augur well.
arininchi
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