Crognaleto

It is a scattered municipality located in the upper valley of the river Vomano with a population of just over 1,200 inhabitants and an area of ​​124.30 km² whose name derives from the crognale, synonym of cornel, a fruit tree.

It is nestled between Mount Corvo (Gran Sasso chain) and Mount Gorzano (Monti della Laga) and is located in one of the richest areas of natural, scenic and wooded areas of Abruzzo (in particular chestnut, beech and oak trees), but also of waters and pastures, while its inhabited area, distributed among the many hamlets and districts of which it is composed, consists of houses and buildings dating back to the nineteenth century.

The town hall is located in the fraction of Nerito, one of the most populous and modern of the Municipality.

Most of the inhabited centers that make up the Municipality of Crognaleto have clear medieval origins, although there are some settlements dating back to the Italic and pre-Roman times.

The earliest records date back to the 13th century when the neighboring Amatrice made some claims on some places now part of the municipality. However, the current municipality was established in 1813, during the Napoleonic occupation, while previously it was incorporated into the university of Roseto.

He gained his autonomy by organizing in fractions the various neighboring inhabited centers that constituted mostly themselves of the autonomous universitates. Relatively famous and evocative legendary history of the independent Republic of Senàrica (one of its fractions).

According to tradition, oral and not supported by documents and written documents, Queen Giovanna I d'Anjou granted Senàrica the status of an independent republic on 12 June 1356 to reward her for her loyalty in the battle against the troops of Ambrogio Visconti and the Count of Landau , fought in 1343. Following this story it became a faithful ally and protected of the Venetian Republic of Venice, establishing with it solid diplomatic relations and defensive pacts.

So much so that the most important authority of the village was given the title of Doge and Senàrica sent their own representatives to Venice to participate in the political activity of its institutions. Another important element is the emblem of the small Republic that bears a lion similar to that of San Marco but without the wings, which claws a snake.

The faint traces of this affair do not go beyond the eighteenth century, but there remain testimonies deriving from epigraphs, religious symbols, coats of arms and monograms of San Bernardino. In particular, the words Casa franca - balre innaterno, commonly interpreted as a tax-free house - to be valid forever.

Particularity of the Municipality is also the gastronomy centered on the typical traditional mountain and pastoral cuisine: pasta and beans, mushroom dishes (eg gnocchi alla boscaiola), the sheep in the "callara", the "mazzarelle", the "castrato", the lamb meat, different types of salami (such as Nerito's ventricina) and cheeses, among which the most characteristic is certainly pecorino. The latter, not certainly produced at industrial levels but often for family or local consumption, still retains the characteristics and taste of the typical aged cheese.                

A typical dish ... and its recipe

A typical dish of Crognaleto as well as of all the territory are the gnocchi alla boscaiola. Ingredients for 6 people: 500 g of porcini mushrooms, 500 g of potatoes, 700 g of flour, 600 g of peas, 500 g of bacon, 2 eggs, one carrot, one onion, parsley, celery, salt. Preparation: with the boiled potatoes and the flour prepare the gnocchi. Brown the pancetta in oil with the chopped onion and cook the peas with the fried carrot, celery and parsley. Cut the mushrooms into small pieces and toss them. Put everything together and serve with plenty of Parmesan.

Also worthy of mention is the fine quality of chestnuts (in the dialect "nzite") of the chestnut groves of the village of Senarica: the Chestnut Festival of Senarica is yearly dedicated to the valorization of this topical product, used to customize numerous local dishes. of recall for the entire mountain area.

Traditions

The Municipality can count on some traditions that, even if they are slowly disappearing due to the inexorable depopulation, are still alive and handed down from generation to generation. One of these is undoubtedly the small craft practiced by some for pure passion or just for work, for example in the field of stone and iron working.

Market: Tuesday and Thursday.

Website: http://www.comune.crognaleto.te.it/

• Aiello
• Alvi
• Aprati
• Cervaro
• Cesacastina
• Contrada Cerrone
• Crognaleto (City)
• Fràttoli
• Nerito
• Piano Vomano
• Poggio Umbricchio
• San Giorgio
• Senàrica
• Tottea
• Valle Vaccaro

By Car

• From the Adriatic coast: Motorway exit Teramo-Giulianova, direction Rome exit Basciano-Val Vomano take the SS150 towards Montorio al Vomano. Once you reach Montorio, take the SS80 towards L'Aquila. Follow it for about 15 km until you enter the municipal territory of Crognaleto. Continuing for about 4 km, past the town of Aprati, turn left towards Nerito, a hamlet of Crognaleto. After less than a kilometer one enters Nerito, the Town Hall.
• From the west: From Rome highway to exit L'Aquila-ovest towards Teramo. At this point you get onto the SS80, you have to cross the Capannelle pass and the junction for Campotosto Lake always following the Teramo direction. After the village of Ortolano (AQ) you enter the municipal territory of Crognaleto and, after a series of tunnels, you cross the hamlet of Paladini. Less than 2 km from the last tunnel, turn right towards Nerito, the Town Hall.