Valchiavenna and Valtellina areas share so many recipes in common that it’s often hard to tell them apart. Even the taroz in Valtellina is similar to this recipe from Valchiavenna, though they’re not exactly the same. That’s because taroz from Valtellina lacks a fundamental ingredient that makes this particular dish– also called the ‘il Rustiment di Mees’ by locals – so unique and different: polenta. Or rather leftover polenta crumbs, since this recipe is first of all an Italian peasant dish from the cibo povero tradition – so much so in fact that the recipe’s name literally translates to ‘ribollita of the poor.’
What exactly is Rustiment de Mees?
The Rustiment de Mees is a typical dish from Mese, a small town in Valchiavenna just a few kilometers from Chiavenna in the Lombardy region. The patron saint of the town is San Vittore, who is celebrated on May 8th, the same day as the local festival called Sagra del Rustiment – an event first organized over thirty years ago by the Consorzio dei Crotti di Scandolera Boeucc in collaboration with Mattia Mastai. This year would have been the festival’s 34th edition, but for obvious reasons due to Covid-19, it was postponed for 2020. Usually, however, locals meet up to make this particular dish based on sautéed green beans, potatoes, butter and cheese for the occasion of the festival. For this reason, Rustiment de Mees is a dish that is typically eaten from March and April, when the first green beans are harvested, until May and June, when the last ones are picked and added to polenta, plus potato leftovers from the previous year in anticipation for the upcoming July harvest. But Mattia Mastai explains that this recipe actually has "no real seasonality, since Rustiment can also be made with other vegetables during any time of year. What must never be lacking are the cheese and polenta – ingredients you can always find in homes in the valley area.” In fact, Rustiment de Mees is almost always found in some of the crotti and mountain lodges that characterize the Valchiavennasco landscape.
Where to eat Rustiment de Mees
If you are lucky enough to meet someone from Mese or Chiavenna, the best place to try Rustiment is in its homemade version with a local family. In fact, such a traditional dish reaches its peak when homemade. Alternatively, the version you’ll find at the festival is respectable as well. And if you don't get the chance to visit Chiavenna during its festival days, there are two places that serve a proper Rustiment de Mees – two very different places, both with a variety of dishes you simply have to try. One is the so-called “food heaven” of Rifugio Uschione, located 840 meters above sea level, where you can taste a genuine local cuisine, seated at tables outside in the open air with a spectacular view of the wonder that is Valchiavenna – a magnificent place that doesn’t flaunt its beauty, like so many other more frequented mountain valley towns in Northern Italy. That’s why I highly recommend you make the hike up to Rifugio Uschione – it is absolutely worth it. But for the traditional crotto experience, try Crotasc di Mese – one of the most elegant spots in town. Crotti are fundamental to understanding the landscape of Valchiavenna (in September, there’s even a Sagra dei Crotti festival): They are caves (deriving from the words ‘crypta’ or ‘crota’) that have formed naturally between the rocks, where a current of air called Sorel blows, which keeps the temperature cool year round, never exceeding 8 degrees Celsius. For this reason, crotti are excellent spots for storing and aging food and wine. But crotti are, more than anything, meeting places where valley locals come together to eat and drink, though not all of them are open to the public: There are a certain few that remain rustic and simple as they once were so many years ago, and then there are others, such as the Crotasc, which was one of the first crotti to reopen – perfectly restored in an exemplary way. "The Crotasc is for special occasions. Just think – they come all the way from Milan on purpose to visit!” says says Renato Cipriani, a local from Mese who was kind enough to give us his original recipe for Rustiment de Mees.
The original recipe for Rustiment de Mees
We asked two locals, who have lived there for years – sweet Mrs. Rosy and her neighbor, Renato Cipriani – for their original Rustiment de Mees recipe. They told us that in the past, only butter was used to fry food, but today oil can be used as well, so choose whichever ingredient you prefer. Also, the measurements vary according to the number of people and the availability of the produce: In fact, there are Rustiment recipes with more polenta; others with more green beans; some with more potatoes – if not other vegetables entirely. So – first and foremost, follow your personal taste, since there are so many different Rustiment recipes in the valley!
Ingredients:
Onion, finely chopped
Oil
Butter
Basil
Potatoes
Green beans
Cheese (casera, magnocca or grana)
Bay leaves
Pepper
Method:
Brown the finely chopped onion and basil in a pan with oil and/or butter. (Some prefer adding it at the end so that the flavor remains intact.)
Add potatoes and boiled green beans cut into small pieces, plus some salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Then add the chopped polenta and mix until combined.
Add the cheese – use two types if you want! Then add a flake of butter and mix.
Cover with a lid and lower the heat. Continue cooking until everything melts. Then stir once more.
Serve with cold cuts, cheese or other vegetables.
Red wine & dessert pairings
Finally, when it comes to pairing wine with traditional Rustiment, we suggest anything from the Mamete Prevostini winery. And to finish on a sweeter note, treat yourself to a dessert at the Soul Cake pastry shop in Chiavenna – absolutely among the best in Lombardy. You won’t regret it!