The first written evidence of these lentils in the area around Villalba is their mention by writer Giovanni Mulè Bertolo in his book Memorie del Comune di Villalba, published in 1900. However, Villalba lentils have been grown around here for centuries, rotated in the fields with wheat along with chickpeas and fava beans.
Like Altamura lentils, these lentils have large seeds, typical of temperate areas. Cultivation is still very sustainable, requiring no fertilizers, treatments or irrigation.
The lentils are picked by hand around the middle of June. The plants are gathered into small bundles and left to dry in the open air for five to eight days before being mechanically threshed.
Season
The lentils are harvested in mid-June, and once dried they are available year-round.
