Pignone Potato
Features: It's a round tuber with size going from 5g to 200g.
Production Area: Pignone (La Spezia)
Curiosities: As far as man can remember, potatoes have always been cultivated in Pignone and, for their quality, they have always been appreciated both on the provincial and regional market. During World War II, women used to reach the coast with a basket on their head to sell potatoes and exchange them with salt and oil. This potato is tasty when boiled and does not become mealy if used to prepare bread or gnocchi, giving them consistency and a delicate taste. Deeply linked with local history and culture, all the traditional dishes are based on potatoes: potato pie, potato bread, meat, and stockfish.
Cultivation: Potatoes are sown in early April, in furrows of soil previously manured (with sheep, rabbit, and horse manure). When the plant is about 20cm height, earth is put near and the furrow is cleaned from weeds. Potatoes are usually harvested in the first fifteen days of August. Since the production involves fields situated in two valleys (Pignone and Casale) of alluvial origin, the soil is particularly suitable for horticulture. The characteristic tools of the rural tradition are used: ploughs and tractors, in some cases hoes and spades. Potatoes are stored in dark, cool, and dry cellars.
Recipe: Potato pie
Ingredients: 500g potatoes, a bunch of wild herbs, a bunch of pumpkin young leaves. For the sheet of pasta dough: 500g flour, 2 spoonfuls oil, 1/2 glass of cold water. Preparation: knead the flour with a pinch of salt and water, until you obtain a smooth and soft dough. Divide it into as many pieces as the sheets you want to obtain and put them on the table - after pouring some flour on it - and cover them with a cloth. Let them rest for at least one hour. Afterwards, stretch them out and fill with boiled and mash potatoes and vegetables. Usually, the pie gets not covered with another sheet of pasta dough.
