The Rascino plateu is a large karst valley in the Cicolano region of Lazio, which is near Rieti, on the border with Abruzzo at 1,300 meters above sea level. As the area is largely unpopulated, it has remained isolated and uncontaminated, rich in wild plants (orchids in particular) and numerous animal populations (like wild wolves). There have only ever been two possible occupations in this zone: either sheep-herding or cultivating lentils, spelt, and biancòla, a local variety of wheat. Agriculture is encouraged by the presence of an important well-spring, the same that provides the water for the Peschiera aqueduct, one of the most important water sources for Rome. Cultivation takes place without the use of herbicides, synthetic chemical fertilizers, or pesticide treatments.
This plateau has always been a passage for herders during transhumance, when they take their herds from the mountain pastures to those in the Roman countryside. During this trip, tradition dictated that the herders take lentils with them to cultivate on the plateau in the summer. According to elderly locals, lentils were the best product to take, since they are easy to cultivate and conserve, and because they are very nutritious (and were often cooked in milk to feed people who were either weak or sick).
Rascino lentils have a small brown seed that is lightly speckled and with reddish hues. Cultivation begins in April, when the ground is free of snow and the plateau is once again accessible. Harvest usually takes place in August: the plants are cut and placed in rows, so called andane (or windrows), where they are left to dry before being threshed. After threshing, the lentils must once again be sun-dried either on a terrace or in private courtyards in the nearby town of Flamignano.
Season
The harvest takes place in August and the dried product is available all year round
Production area
Rascino plain, Fiamignano municipality, Rieti province
Presidium supported by
Flamignano Municipality, Pro Loco Flamignano, VII° Mountain Community Salto Cicolano, Lazio Regional Authority, Arsial
Riccardo Adriani
Via Roma, 1
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 1845290
riccardoadriani@libero.it
Claudio Angelini
Via delle Vecchie, 3
Borgorose (Ri)
Tel. +39 348 5830028
ditta.angelini@libero.it
Le Antiche Terre
di Riccardo Fornari
Via dell’Assunta, 21
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 351 5998424
riccardo.fornari1999@gmail.com
www.leanticheterre.it
Enrica Barbonetti
Via dei Quadri, 2
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 333 2991289
antonio.alfonsi.df98@alice.it
Pasquale Benedetti
Via Trento, 6
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 349 4585443
giulianiannarita@libero.it
Ferdinando Calderini
Via Vittorio Veneto, 39
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 333 3214055
ferdical1985@yahoo.it
Lorenzo Camilli
Via Trento, 36
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 335 380859
l.camilli@outlook.it
Antonio Cavallari
Via Garibaldi, 26
Rieti (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 5988872
ancavallari@gmail.com
Vittorio Cianetti
Via Collemazzolino, 110
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 328 0388375
vittorio.cianetti@gmail.com
Collaralli
di Giulio Morelli
Via XXIV Maggio, 5
Frazione Collaralli
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 327 0515845
aziendagricolacollaralli@gmail.com
Marino Desideri
Via dei Cicoli, 11
Colleviati di Borgorose (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 5935916
marinodesideri@libero.it
Berardino Di Michele
Via dell’Assunta, 2
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 1436702
cardonecarlo.71@libero.it
Antonio Di Paolantonio
Via dei Quadri, 5
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel.+39 349 3005964
tomenico1972@libero.it
Giovanni Di Paolantonio
Via dei Quadri, 5
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel.+39 348 2849264
giovanni.dp@live.it
Domenico Di Sabantonio
Via dei Quadri, 5
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 5893971
tomenico1972@libero.it
I Due Regni
di Giuseppina Desideri
Via San Lorenzo
Frazione Oiano Petrella Salto (Ri)
Tel. +39 320 6807383
silvipina66@tiscali.it
www.idueregni.it
Roberto Fornara
Località Rascino, 1
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel.+39 347 8483765
robertof53@tiscali.it
Riccardo Giuliani
Via Vittorio Veneto, 13
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 348 5822506
az.agricolagiuliani@gmail.com
www.aziendagricolagiuliani.it
Giampaolo Micaloni
Via Regina Margherita, 99
Petrella Salto (Rt)
Tel. +39 349 5710216
tamarapolidori@libero.it
Minimarket Luigi Giuliani
Piazza Gabriele D’Annunzio, 12
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 0450248
lucagiulianbruna grossi@libero.it
Emanuela Morgante
Via Vittorio Veneto, 29
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel.+39 349 3412868
emanuelamorgante@hotmail.it
Berardo Podiani
Via San Lorenzo, 25
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 347 7277755
Pro Loco Fiamignano
Via Rascino, 10
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 349 3102302
prolocofiamignano@libero.it
www.prolocofiamignano.it
Antonio Rossi
Via San Lorenzo, 12
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 348 5659134
antonini.maria1953@gmail.com
Gianni Maria Rughetti
Via del Sabotino
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel. +39 338 9638101
gm.rughetti@virgilio.it
Pierluigi Valentini
Via Trento, 6
Fiamignano (Rt)
Tel.+39 348 4615043
veronica.marta@libero.it
Luciana Volpe
Via Ville Nuove, 22
Fiamignano (Ri)
Tel.+39 391 1217985
riccardoadriani@libero.it
Andrea Cortese
Tel.+39 331 2099444
andreacortese@hotmail.com
Slow Food Presidium prodcuers Coordinator
Veronica Michelangeli
Tel. +39 339 7254937
michelangeliveronica@gmail.com
