The ‘red gold of Maletto’, this fragrant strawberry can add flavor to sweet or savory dishes!
Origin
On the slopes of Mt Etna, exactly midway between Bronte, Maniace and Randazzo in the province of Randazzo, sits the town of Maletto. It’s small but rich in history, tradition and flavors, one of which is the a unique strawberry variety. Strawberry cultivation was introduced to the area in the 1950s, when the volcanic terrain was especially fertile. When it began to degrade, several underground springs were discovered. There are 3 varieties of strawberries cultivated there: the small “fragolina”, or gragraria vesca, which are commonly used in desserts; “madame moutho” a large, juicy strawberry; and the “rifiorente”, which can be grown 11 months of the year. Maletto strawberries are large and fragrant with unparalleled flavor, but they’re also highly perishable. The fruit is ripe between early May and late June.
Cookit
In Maletto, you can try lots of strawberry-based recipes, including risotto. On warmer days, you can also get granita. The strawberries are bright red, round and fragrant, and their flesh is rich in ascorbic acid and vitamins C and B2. Because they’re so perishable, their timeframe on the market is the same as when they ripen and are picked, which begins in May and continues until June.
Did you know
Each year in the second weekend of June, Maletto holds a strawberry festival. Piazza XXVI Maggio fills with stands and traveling musicians, along with samples of jam, ice cream, arancini, risotto, and even cosmetics, all made with strawberries. Local businesses create a giant strawberry cake, weighing over a thousand kilograms.
