Area Naturale Protetta di Interesse Locale Foresta di Sant'Antonio

Cultivated since ancient times by the farmers of the hills in Chianti, Valdarno, and Pratomagno, it is a small chick-pea with a great taste, and it is sown towards the end of March. This chick-pea does not need special care; however, the strictly manual harvesting and threshing processes are particularly tiring and need a lot of time. It is cultivated in a traditional and marginal way, in small allotments: therefore, only for the family consumption and in limited quantities. With a very thin hull, it well tolerates a long cooking that must be done after it has been left to soak for the whole night. It is the essential ingredient of many soups, the most famous of which is the "chick-peas and tagliolini soup".