Aglione of the Valdichiana

Aglione della Valdichiana is one of the excellent products of this area. It is a garlic with very large cloves (hence the name) that has a fresh and delicate flavour. Belonging to the same botanical family of garlic that we all know, garlic is one of the most prestigious variants of this product. Aglione is a type of garlic with very large cloves that has truly surprising organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. Aglione has, first of all, one peculiarity: it grows and is cultivated only in this area. For a time, like many other traditional products, it was disappearing from Tuscan tables, but luckily the intuition of farmers and restaurateurs saved this species, bringing it back into vogue. There are still few producers who cultivate this species and for this reason, in 2017 an association was appointed to protect Aglione. Aglione is grown precisely in the Valdichiana and is sown between October and November. As with garlic, Aglione also provides for the planting of individual cloves with the head facing upwards at a straight distance from each other. The Aglione harvest takes place between June and July, but during its growth it must be constantly monitored for the elimination of weeds found in the crops. Aglione is rich in phenols and other nutrients that are very good for our health. Although Aglione has a much more delicate flavor than traditional garlic, it contains numerous antibacterial and antioxidant substances. Its sulfur components help to keep blood pressure and blood sugar levels at bay.
One of the best known recipes of this area of Tuscany is the famous Pici with Aglione.