Some interesting facts The “panigacci” are pro- duced in Podenzana, where they are protected by a Consortium. It should be noted that Podenzana does not exist, that is, it is not a town with a well-identified and precise village, but rather it is a set of small villages and groups of houses that spread all the way to the Val di Magra. In August, there is the Panigaccio Festival, and they are served both in both the savoury and sweet versions with chocolate or jam. Another interesting event is the Panigalonga, which takes place on the first weekend of October. It is a culinary walk through the villages of the municipality of Podenzana, so tourists can see and learn about many stages of the production chain, including the creation of the terracotta “testi” where the “panigacci” are cooked. Few ingredients The recipe for “panigacci” is extremely simple: flour, water and salt. The secret is the proportions. Everyone has their own recipe. Everyone evaluates the dough just by looking at it, which is the same way they know when the “testi” are ready to be used. You can taste them “dry”, that is, plain and accompanied by local meats and cheeses, or blanched and seasoned with pesto or oil and Parmesan, or with mushroom sauce. Today, all kinds of cured meats along with stracchino and gorgonzola cheeses are used. They are also delicious on their own with a little extra virgin olive oil and salt. In addition, they can be stuffed by folding them and creating a type of sandwich. Traditional purists remind us that farmers once accompanied them with bacon or salami, and the lucky ones would pair them with noble cold cuts such as fillet or cooked shoulder. Back in the day, cheese was a simple cow “caciotta” that was never mixed with cold cuts. There could have also been the typical “chiodo”, made with sausage filling or salami cooked in the “testi”. 61
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