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The territory of Valle Castellana is totally immersed in the Laga and is characterized by numerous hamlets and districts, some of which are now uninhabited. It is particularly rich in streams and woods and throughout the Teramo area and Piceno is known for chestnuts. Also from the archaeological point of view it has a certain importance since many tools and remains of tombs dating back to the Paleolithic period have been found over time. During the Middle Ages the relatively larger inhabited center was almost certainly the Colle district, perched around the Church of Santa Maria di Stornazzano, while in the Risorgimento, the last possession of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies before the beginning of the Papal State, constituted an area of contrast and resistance to the unity of Italy, knowing massively the phenomenon of the cd brigandage. The latter was favored precisely by the orographic conformation of the territory, in which abound forests, mountains, caverns, cliffs, ridges from which to control the movements of others and crevices in which to find shelter. According to historians, many fractions that today are part of the Municipality were in the Middle Ages as many castles that built a defensive line connected with the Fortress of Civitella and the castle of King Manfredi. Near Macchia da Sole, there are the perimeter remains of Castel Manfrino, on a rocky hill. In the Vallenquina area, instead, the neo-Gothic castle was built by the writer Vincenzo Bonifaci, modeled on the Monica castle in Teramo.
The official name of Valle Castellana dates back to 1285 when the villages of Ceresia, Sorbo, Stornazzano and Rosaio decided, in front of the Chiesa dell'Annunziata, to ask for the citizenship of Ascoli giving the name to the town. The history of Valle Castellana is punctuated by many events: place of frequent allocations of monks and constructions of monasteries, fights between brigands and gendarmes during the period of the unification of Italy, research of ancient treasures, wars and looting. For example, many ancient historians date the foundation of Pietralta, one of the many hamlets of the Commune, at the time of the escape of the Ascoli from the Longobard raids of the Duke Faroaldo. Another central moment in the history of the village was certainly the brigandage and the events that are intertwined from the Renaissance to the capitulation of the Kingdom of Naples and the completion of the unity of Italy. This was possible due to the geographic location of Valle Castellana, the last Bourbon outpost before the Papal State and a territory that was hard to conquer given the woods, the mountains, the caves and the many other perfect places to hide, defend and attack. In 1853 Valle Castellana bought several villages from the neighboring towns of the Papal States, namely Vignatico, Collegrato and Valloni, as well as a strip of land that goes from Colle San Marco to Monte Piselli. In addition, buy the villages of Pietralta, Morrice and Casanova, advancing the border of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies to the stream Castellano, which becomes the state border.
Valle Castellana is located in the heart of one of the richest areas of chestnut in Italy. This specificity can only have repercussions on the culinary and gastronomic dimension of the village, known in fact for the various delicious dishes based on chestnuts.
A typical dish ... and its recipe
One of these is undoubtedly represented by caggionetti, a typical Christmas cake spread throughout the province of Teramo and particularly loved in these parts. The ingredients are: 1 kg chestnuts, 250 g honey, 250 g sugar, 100 g cedar in small pieces, 100 g grated dark chocolate, 200 g boiled, shelled, toasted and ground almonds, 1/4 liter rum, a grated lemon peel, a little bit of ground cinnamon, a glass of white wine, a glass of oil, just enough flour.
The preparation is as follows: the chestnuts, shelled, boiled and skinned are passed to the tritaverdure. The honey is heated and put in a tureen together with the chestnuts, turning everything well and gradually adding sugar, chocolate, almonds, rum, citron, lemon and cinnamon. Then mix well and allow to stand for one day. Then prepare the dough mass with flour, oil and wine. Make very thin strips, about ten centimeters wide and make the desserts like ravioli, ie placing a spoonful of the dough on the strip and folding the end. It is then necessary to seal this sort of rolls so obtained by pressing around the "balls" and separating them from the rest of the sheet by cutting them out with the ravioli-shaped cutter equipped with a serrated wheel. Finally fry in hot oil, let it dry and sprinkle with sugar.
- Basto
- Carpani
- Casanova
- Case Caprioli
- Case Orfi
- Ceraso
- Cerquito
- Cesano
- Colle Pietralta
- Coronelle
- Fornisco
- Gabbia
- Leofara
- Macchia da Borea
- Macchia da Sole
- Mattere
- Morrice
- Olmeto
- Pascellata
- Piano Maggiore
- Pietralta
- Prevenisco
- Rio di Lame
- San Giacomo
- San Vito
- Santa Ruffina
- Settecerri
- Valle Castellana (City)
- Vallefara
- Villa Franca
By Car
- From the North and South From the A14 motorway exit at San Benedetto del Tronto - Ascoli Piceno, follow the direction of Ascoli Piceno, continue on the Ascoli-Mare RA11 expressway to the Ascoli Piceno - Porta Cartara exit and then continue towards Valle Castellana.
- From Pescara and Chieti Take the A14 Adriatica motorway, exit at San Benedetto del Tronto - Ascoli Piceno, follow the direction of Ascoli Piceno, continue on the Ascoli-Mare RA11 expressway to the Ascoli Piceno - Porta Cartara exit and continue towards Valle Castellana.
