Rice from Po Delta Pgi:

The production area in Emilia Romagna includes the province of Ferrara and specifically the municipalities of Goro, Codigoro, Lagosanto, Massa Fiscaglia, Migliarino, Ostellato, Mesola, Jolanda di Savoia, Berra and Comacchio.

The Ferrara areas are strongly suited to the cultivation of this crop thanks to their strong peaty component, their high quantity of mineral substances and their slow draining.

Another essential factor is the proximity to the sea: sea breezes and low humidity allow less use of treatments, keeping the plants healthy and dry.

The first rice fields in the area of ​​the Po Delta date back to 1500, used mainly as land reclamation.

The spread of rice cultivation grows more and more, reaching the first quality awards; in fact in 1950 the Agrarian Inspectorate of the Venezie declared:

"The rice that is produced in this area is, for its intrinsic qualities, among the finest, if not the most prized in Italy".

Coming to our times, in 2009 it received the IGP certification from the European Community thanks to the Po Delta Rice Growers Association which after about 3 years became the IGP Po Delta Rice Consortium, made up of 33 companies from Ferrara and Veneto.

Rice of the Po Delta Igp is certainly one of the best known rice internationally thanks to its main characteristics: high protein content, antioxidant capacity and high digestibility!

There are four main varieties:

Carnaroli, the most famous and suitable for prestigious risottos, Arborio, also used for risottos and timbales but with less cooking resistance than Carnaroli, Baldo, known for its richness in mineral salts and used for creamed and supplì and finally the Volano variety for soups and timbales.

In addition to the four main types, we also offer Black Venere rice and Red Ermes rice, two wholemeal and aromatic rice.

 

Cappellacci Ferraresi of  Pumpkin Pgi:

The production area of ​​Cappellacci di Zucca Ferraresi Igp includes the entire area of ​​Ferrara, as stated in the production specification.

Their origin can be estimated around the years of the Renaissance and its recipe began to spread very soon: it was in fact considered a dish of luxury and prestige, despite the filling was of pumpkin, a historically "poor" product. They obtained the IGP in 2016 and it is one of the most recent certifications in Emilia Romagna.

The process of creating this excellence is based on the preparation of a pastry with soft and hard wheat flour together with eggs; for the filling, on the other hand, we use the pumpkin pulp, grated cheese, breadcrumbs and a small amount of nutmeg.

They must be round in shape, of an intense yellow color and with a contrasting flavor between the salty of the cheese, the sweetness of the pumpkin and the typical aroma of nutmeg.

The Ferrara tradition wants them to be seasoned with meat sauce, but they turn out to be exceptional if simply seasoned with a knob of butter, sage and grated Parmigiano Reggiano Dop.

 

Piadina Romagnola Pgi:

The production area of ​​Piadina Romagnola Igp is limited to the provinces of Ravenna, Forlì-Cesena and Rimini and in some municipalities in the province of Bologna.

Its history has very ancient origins: the first "flours", products very similar to the current wraps, date back to the Etruscan times. Even in the Roman aristocratic circles the tradition of these rudimentary piade continued, considered a food for the rich because they were consumed after cooking.

The perception of the product changed during the Middle Ages, when simple wraps became a poor food, because they were produced with less valuable flours and without yeast.

The term piada, however, was coined by Giovanni Pascoli in his poem "La Piada", defining it "bread of humanity".

On 24 October 2014, thanks to the Consorzio della Piadina Romagnola made up of institutional bodies and manufacturing companies, the IGP certification was obtained.

Its uses in the kitchen are truly manifold: stuffed with local cheeses, meats and vegetables or as an accompaniment to main courses instead of bread, but also as a dessert if stuffed with jams or spreads.

 

On this page you will also find the crispy and long-life Ferrarese Biscuit Bread, the Fresh Ferrarese Bread and a selection of "Senatore Cappelli" Durum Wheat Artisan Pasta.