U Baruni di Ustica

Producer of "Lentils of Ustica" certified Slow Food.

On a small Sicilian island grow the smallest lentils of Italy.They have been grown forever in the lava and fertile soils of Ustica and always the method has been completely manual. The lentils are sown in January and harvest in the first half of June. There is no use of any fertilisers or herbicides: unwanted weeds are removed with a small hoe. The plants are then left to dry in the field and uprooted to create sheaves that are placed in the barnyard and beaten.

These lentils are very small, dark brown, tender and tasty. They are very easy to cook as they do not need to be soaked and they are ready in just 45 minutes. The Ustica lentils, typical peasant food, are an essential ingredient of the local cuisine. The two classic recipes are the soup, enriched with local vegetables and flavoured with basil and wild fennel, and pasta and lentils, prepared with broken spaghetti.