Parco Nazionale del Gran Sasso e Monti della Laga

The History
The cultivation of the lentils "Lens culinaris Medik" in the Abruzzi is only residual. In the Gran Sasso's southern area, at an altitude between 1,000 and 1,600 meters between the towns of Castel del Monte, Castelvecchio Calvisio, Barisciano, Calascio and Santo Stefano di Sessanio, the traditional lentils are the small and dark ones from Sessanio, having a 2 to 5 mm diameter. In the Park's areas, and especially in Montebello di Bertona and San Pietro di Isola del Gran Sasso, lentils were cultivated together with cereals: wheat and barley, that functioned as a support for lentil plants. Lentils have been always used in human diet, whereas the straw of the plants was an excellent fodder for livestock.