The copafam bean is a local variety of runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) from the mountains of Val Camonica, one of the largest Alpine valleys in Lombardy. The plant has a vining habit and highly branched root system. The abundant flowers are usually red, though sometimes they can be partly or completely white. The pods have a rough surface and contain up to five beans, which are larger and more colorful than those of common varieties—they can be black with purple streaks, ocher with brown spots, pink or violet with black or brown streaks, or completely white. They have a sweet, chestnut-like flavor.
This variety is very sensitive to heat and drought and is therefore grown exclusively in hilly and mountain areas between 500 and 1100 meters above seas level, where the climate is cool and humid with a large diurnal temperature range. At higher elevations the plants become more productive and the seeds larger and less fibrous. Successful germination requires a temperature of at least 13-14 °C, so the beans are planted in spring (usually around May), in cool soil with a neutral or basic pH. If the beans are planted in shaded areas or too close together, excessive vertical growth results, which prevents flowering. Since this is a climbing variety that can exceed 3 meters in height, it requires support structures to prevent the plant from collapsing. Traditionally, 2.5-meter-long hazel sticks known as fruscu were used for trellising, but chestnut poles and plastic netting are also used. This variety grows well in association with various other plants; in the past, it was common to grow a row of beans along the perimeter of potato fields.Weeds are usually removed manually or discouraged with mulching sheets. The first bean pods appear in August and the harvest lasts until the first frosts of early November. After being shelled, the beans are left to dry in a well-ventilated indoor space—usually the attic—protected from direct sunlight and heat, and thus prevented from germinating.
Phaseolus coccineus, of which the copafam bean is a variety, was introduced to Spain from the Americas in the 17th century and then diffused throughout Europe, both as a food and an ornamental plant. It appeared in Italy around 1425 in the territories of the Republic of Venice, where trade flourished. Unlike most commercial varieties of Phaseolus coccineus, copafam has undergone no genetic improvement; it retains its original heritage, characterized by great intraspecific diversity, which is visible in the bright colors of its seeds. However, despite Phaseolus coccineus being the third most important bean species, the copafam variety is not currently available on the market and is only cultivated for family use by hobbyists (usually elderly) and some young farmers who recently resumed its cultivation on farms in the villages of Lozio, Ossimo, Losine, Cerveno, Saviore, Sonico, and Malonno in Val Camonica. Climate change threatens the survival of copafam beans: unusually high temperatures in 2022 lead to the loss of almost the entire harvest, and production had to be delayed until the fall.
The high protein content and the reduced quantity of fats and sugars made the copafam bean a fundamental food in local peasant and mountain cuisine. The name copafam itself, which means “hunger killer” in the local dialect, indicates its traditional importance. The beans can be eaten fresh during the harvest season or dried for use during the rest of the year. Because the dried seeds have a very fibrous consistency, they are soaked in cold water for 12 hours before being cooked for at least 2 hours in salted water. They are typically seasoned with garlic or onion, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and salt, and are also eaten with pasta or in soups such as zuppa rustica (“rustic soup”), which is made with butter, coarse salami, tomato, salt, and pepper. Tripe in broth is a local recipe popular during the cold season; it contains sautéed onion and leeks, seasonal vegetables (e.g., carrots, celery, chard, or lacinato kale), potatoes, and beans. A typical summer dish is salted horse meat accompanied by boiled beans and onions. Recently, confectionary products have also been made with flour obtained from copafam beans.
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