The Testarolo of Pontremoli
Testarolo is certainly one of the culinary flags of the entire Lunigiana region, one of the best-known products of Lunigiana, on a par with its cousin, the panigaccio of Podenzana, as well as, in its original, artisanal version, a Slow Food presidium.
A dish of ancient tradition found even on the poorest tables, Pontremoli testarolo is nothing more than a kind of unleavened, unleavened bread composed of flour, water and salt, but what makes it unique is its unusual baking inside the Pontremoli testo, a cast iron container placed over an open flame.
Once cooked in the text, however, the preparation of testarolo is not yet finished: it is in fact cut “in lozenges”, into small rhombuses that are again cooked a few minutes in boiling water, just like a pasta dish, it is then seasoned, usually with Ligurian-style pesto or with parmesan cheese and IGP oil from the Lunigiana hills
Today, there are more few producers who make testarolo in the traditional way with cast-iron texts placed directly over a wood fire, a complex and expensive process, and there are numerous industrial activities that produce excellent testaroli for export, but once you taste the original one, there is no mistaking it: the real one, produced by farmers or farms in the Pontremolese area, has a full-bodied texture, characterized by the small holes formed during cooking, and an unmistakable flavor that is the result of slow cooking over a wood fire.
If you have not yet tasted it, we recommend a visit to Pontremoli, the true and unique home of Testarolo, which is celebrated every year with the “Testarolo Pride,” a gastronomic festival involving local restaurants with menus celebrating the prodoto, but you can also find it throughout the year and its unique and ancient flavor will captivate you.
