The Marocca of Casola

Lhe Marocca di Casola is not only a bread made with chestnut flour, it is something more, with its ancient and modern history, it is the essence of Lunigiana… Let’s start from the past: the marocca was born as a peasant bread, baked in the communal ovens in the villages of Eastern Lunigiana, and made with what was available at the time i.e. little wheat flour, a lot of chestnut flour, a little potatoes and the precious oil. The result was a bread that was not very malleable, in dialect marocat, but that kept very well, thanks to the presence of the potatoes in the dough.

As is often the case, this precious recipe was lost in time, until Fabio Bertolucci came along, who after leaving his university studies rediscovered this ancient recipe and decided to bring it back to the tables of the Lunigiana people. He bought a small bakery in Canoara, a locality of Regnano, in the municipality of Casola in Lunigiana, and after several attempts he succeeded in restoring the Marocca to its rightful notoriety, making it known, thanks to its goodness, even in neighboring regions and even making it to the television limelight!

Today you can buy it in many local stores or from the hands of Fabio himself, who is present at many events in the area. It is excellent with local cured meats such as Lardo di Colonnata IGP or cheeses, perhaps accompanied by Miele DOP della Lunigiana.Marocca has also been recognized as a Slow Food Presidium.