Organic Chickpea Flour

Between the castles of Canossa and Rossena in Reggio Emilia, lies the Matildic village of Riverzana, a small nucleus located on a hillock below the slopes of Canossa in view of the valley of the Ferrari and Vico rivers. Born to recover landslide land, gradually passion and challenge took over and from simple rotations of soft wheat and field beans the fields were extended and production was diversified with dicocco spelt, durum wheat, ancient grains, chickpeas and lentils. Good and healthy, thanks to their high fibre and nutrient content. It seems that lentils were the first legumes cultivated by man. Reliable sources date the first harvests back to the Sumerian civilisation and then to the Egyptians. Doing the math, more than five thousand years ago: an indissoluble history that links the legume with mankind. The name should not mislead: chickpea flour is completely different from similar cereal-based products, which are usually used to make pasta, bread and pizza. Not only because it is derived from the milling of dried pulses - we could make it ourselves if we wanted to: all we need is a bit of manual dexterity and a fairly powerful mixer - but also because of its nutritional composition. In fact, we are talking about an ingredient that is naturally gluten-free, excluding any possibility of contamination with flours that contain it, which makes it a valid alternative available to people suffering from coeliac disease or intolerance to wheat proteins (it is better, however, to always check the label to make sure that the brand displays gluten-free certification).