A WANDER THROUGH THE FIELDS

There are many edible varieties to be found locally, but the bellunesi seem to have a preference for a few particular types, such as finferli or gallinacci , which are excellent with pasta, or as a tasty accompaniment to polenta dishes. Chiodini mushrooms are especially popular in the Valbelluna and the Feltrino area, and the ideal occasion to try them is the festa dei ciodét (chiodini mushroom festival), which is held each year in Alano di Piave at the end of September. However, the firm favourite among gourmets remains the noble porcino variety. In the local restaurants it can be enjoyed in the classic risotto, in soups, with polenta and in many other delicious dishes. In the best speciality food shops in the area porcini mushrooms can also be bought dried, for those who never want to be left without their inimitable flavour. The mushroom season par excellence is autumn, but in the Valbelluna some varieties are ready for picking in spring, such as the spondòle or the réie de faghèr, while in summer, in the fields bordering the woodlands, you can find the mazze da tamburo variety. Edible wild plants were once an important source of food for the local country folk, as they began to sprout in the fields just as the winter stocks of food were running out. These days radicio da prà (dandelion shoots), s-ciopetin (catchfly), bruscandui (wild hop shoots) and many other kinds of wild herbs can be found on the menu in the best farmhouse restaurants, in a wide variety of dishes: in risottos, soups, salads or just boiled and then stir-fried in the pan with oil or lard. These herbs are also delicious when added to the paste used to make potato gnocchi, or as a filling for casunziei, a kind of typical ravioli which is found in many of the valleys in the Dolomites, also filled with ingredients such as pumpkin or red turnip.