Hunting for Caciaratti and Bastnaga

A type of thorny thistle (called caciaratto) in the first periods of summer it became a coveted prey for boys who, after identifying them, broke the tips of their shoes to eradicate them with kicks and then , spent some time removing the thorns, they ate them with gusto. All the plants, all the natural fruits of the mountain were known by the population, every woman and every child was perfectly integrated into the forest-pastoral environment.

It is said that, in the past, the inhabitants of the Rocca Santa Maria area explored the surrounding woods in search of what, nowadays, is an almost forgotten tuber and very difficult to find … it is the Parsnip , in dialect Bastnaga , a very close relative of the carrot. This wild tuber has a very thin and hazelnut skin, its pulp is white / ivory and has a very sweet and fresh flavor. Its dimensions can vary, its weight can fluctuate between that of a normal carrot up to 3 times as much. In the past, parsnip was consumed as much as we now consume potatoes, in fact it is perfect to be fried, boiled, combined with red meats in the form of puree or raw in salads.