THE STORY BEHIND A NICKNAME

The nick name beccamorti (gravediggers) has been given to the Montalcino population in 1260 when they went to the Montaperti so slowly that when they got there the battle was over, and the Sienese, winning side, punished them, forcing them to bury all of the dead. And there were so many corpses that Dante said that their blood coloured the Arbia river red. An historic episode of which we cannot be proud which though later was cancelled through great demonstrations of courage in the centuries that followed when Montalcino defended its independence for so long that it remained the last free city in Italy(1559).

The Ossi di Morto biscuits (literally translated dead man’s bones) refer to the battle of Montaperti? Nobody knows.

In the past the Ossi di morto biscuits were in the glass containers in the Montalcino cupboards all year long. These used to be what was baked for last in the brick-ovens by the farmers after the bread, the tarts and cakes, together with the meringues made with egg whites and sugar.

So that’s what ossi di morto from Montalcino are, simple biscuits to be made at home that accompany very well Vin Santo from Fattoria del Colle.

INGREDIENTS FOR OSSI DI MORTO

Ingredients for 4 people:

100g of flour, 300g of sugar,200 g of almonds, 3 egg whites, 1 lemon, extra virgin olive oil

PREPARATION

parboil the almonds and peel them.…

L'articolo Ossi di Morto, is there a better way to remember Montalcino? sembra essere il primo su Cinelli Colombini.