Maratelli facts for kids
Maratelli is a special type of rice from northern Italy. It comes from a place called Asigliano Vercellese in the Vercelli area. This rice is known for keeping its shape well when cooked slowly, like for making risotto. This is because it has a lot of something called amylose. Back in 1970, Maratelli rice was grown on 8% of all rice fields in Italy!
Contents
How Maratelli Rice Was Discovered
A Farmer's Discovery in 1914
Maratelli rice was first found in the autumn of 1914. A rice farmer named Mario Maratelli was working in his fields in Asigliano Vercellese, Italy. He noticed a rice plant that looked different from all the others. He was growing a type of rice called "Chinese originario," but this one plant stood out.
The special plant had longer rice clusters, called panicles. These panicles also had more grains and looked yellow, meaning they were ripe and ready for harvest. The other rice plants in the field were not yet ripe.
Growing the New Rice
Mario Maratelli carefully picked these ripe panicles. He saved the seeds from them, planning to plant them the next year. The following year, he planted these special seeds in their own small area. He watched them very closely as they grew.
He noticed that these new plants grew faster than his other rice. They also ripened earlier. This confirmed that he had found a truly different and special type of rice.
Why Maratelli Rice Became Popular
Mario Maratelli saw many good things about his new rice. It ripened early, gave a better harvest, and made good use of the land. He also tried cooking the white rice in classic Italian dishes. These included risotto, panissa, and rice in broth.
Everyone who tried it loved it! The rice didn't get mushy when cooked and mixed well with other ingredients. Because it was so good, the new Maratelli rice quickly became popular. It spread across the Vercelli area and soon became the most important rice variety for a long time.
Official Recognition
Today, Maratelli rice is still important. Since April 2013, the original Maratelli rice has been officially listed. It is now part of the National Register of Historic Varieties in Italy. This helps protect and celebrate this special rice.
What Makes Maratelli Rice Special
Key Features of the Plant
Maratelli is an old and important type of Italian rice. It was developed in 1919 from the "Chinese originario" rice. It ripens fairly early, about 15 days before Chinese originario. The plants are medium height, usually between 90 and 110 centimeters tall. Their stems are strong and don't easily fall over. The leaves are a light green color.
Growing Conditions and Grains
Maratelli rice plants grow very well when they are young. They also produce many stems, usually about seven fertile stems per plant. This rice can handle cold weather quite well when it's just starting to sprout. It also has some tolerance to cold when it's flowering.
- Panicle: The rice clusters are open and hang down a bit. They are about 20 centimeters long and hold 90 to 110 grains each.
- Spikelet: These are the small parts that hold the rice grains. They are yellow and do not have a beard-like part (awnless).
- Kernels: The actual rice grains are white. They have a pearl-like look inside.
