Amendolara is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza

Cosenza

Cosenza is a city in southern Italy, located at the confluence of two historic rivers: the Busento and the Crathis. The municipal population is of around 70,000; the urban area, however, counts over 260,000 inhabitants...

 in the Calabria

Calabria

Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....

 region of southern Italy

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

.
With a population of approximately 3,100 people (Amendolaresi),is into a territory of 64 km² and it is 100 km from the provincial capital of Cosenza.
The city is at an altitude of 200 meters above sea level and overlooks the Ionian Sea.
Mario Melfi was the mayor of the city from 2001 to 16 May 2011. The new mayor elected is Antonello Ciminelli.

History

Probably the name derives from the Latin amygdalaria (mandorlai), due to the high production of almonds. Based on the numerous archaeological sites in the area, it is believed that the territory was already inhabited in the Neolithic period (6000-4000 BC) and that the human presence has become stable in the Age Protostorica (3500-8000 BC), when a community enotria settled in the area of today's "Old District"(Rione Vecchio).
With the foundation of Sybaris by the Achaeans, the population that inhabited the protostorico area of "Old District" (Rione Vecchio) in the seventh century. B.C. moved to the brillant and wide area of San Nicola. In this place was built a new city and it was called Lagaria.
After having suffered the Roman domination, Amendolara was a thriving religious life, first with the Byzantine activities, then with the Cistercian, as evidenced by the many churches and hermits caves located on most of the territory. After building the castle around 1000 AD, there appeared Dynasties.
In the sixteenth century the Dominicans built the convent and was built the split Tower (torre spaccata). For two centuries followed years of battles between feudal lords and the City for the conquest of the land confiscated during the feudal period. In 1700 the plots, become real "farm" were divided between the MUNICIPALITY and the State, which sold them to the representatives of the most powerful middle-class families.During the nineteenth century Amendolara was a viable center for the dissemination of liberal ideas, but it is also suffered the plundering of the most important works of art contained in the churches. In 1848 the population was now reduced to poverty and they rebelled against the landowners occupying the lands of Straface. Poverty and unemployment led to a significant migration to Argentina and northern Italy which lasted for nearly a century. The amendolaresi remained, however, did not give up and pushed toward economic, political and cultural recovery.

Gastronomy

The food is a strong tradition and cultural tourist attractions of the place. Actively contributes to the socio-economic growth. The cuisine is simple, genuine and find the diamond in the use of vegetables from the countryside. The culinary tradition of Amendolara puts its resources based on agri-culture of the "Alto Jonio Cosentino" , and is characterized by the use of basic ingredients in common with the countries of Sybaris. The recipes are also different in different places is by use of the family is depending on personal taste. The first courses are par excellence the "rascjcatilli", fresh pasta made with flour and water in the form of small pieces plucked with the fingers and topped with fresh tomato sauce and basil or lamb ragout and a sprinkling of chili pepper in the area . Very tasty are also "ferrazuoli" fresh pasta in the shape of sticks and gouged with a thin iron square and topped with meat ragout South. Both are peasant dishes, often enhanced by the intense flavor of the ricotta cheese and grated flake directly over the plate at time of service. The ricotta, handicraft production, replaced in the fifties the cheese used only in the "big parties". I used to use less well-off "in Mullica, bread crumbs and sautéed in a little olive oil with chili powder and minced garlic, which gives a particularly delicate flavor to dishes but tasty at the same time. The most typical desserts are: Those of the Christmas period: - "I crispi" are made with wheat flour, water and yeast, are shaped like big rings, fried in olive oil at 170 ° C can be enjoyed with sugar icing - "I cannaricoli" big dumplings made of flour, black pepper, wine and a pinch of yeast, these fried in olive oil. During Easter, it was common to prepare "cullure" and "pastizzi. The "cullura" is the Easter bread, has an original meaning of new life, the dough is made with flour, eggs, cinnamon, fennel seeds, lard, salt and yeast, the whole is worked and shaped like a crown woven into increasing number of such eggs. I "pastizzi" are typical of the Easter period, are pseudo-pants made with flour, lard, salt and pepper, stuffed with meat and entrails of kid, seasoned with pepper, parsley, garlic and browned in olive oil with the addition sausage, baked in the oven.