Cicerchie and the resilience of the field
A modest legume with a place in Italy’s traditional food crops.
The small, angular seed gives little away about the plant’s resilience. Cicerchia can grow in lean, stony soils and withstand drought, provided the ground does not become waterlogged. These qualities help explain its place among crops suited to demanding growing conditions.
In Italy, cicerchie also belong to the story of traditional foods rediscovered after agricultural modernization pushed them to the margins. Some local populations have been recognized as traditional Italian agri-food products (PAT).
