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Turchesa Potato

Don’t boil it, but steam it with the peel so its properties will remain intact.

Origin

Turchesa potato, or turchesca, is a potato variety and Slow Food presidia that originally comes from South and Central America and whose name derives from the color of the peel blu-violet. It was introduced in Europe around the XVI century and it spread rapidly in Italy, especially in Abruzzo. Here it became a important product for the economy of the Gran Sasso even if during the years it has been substituted with more productive cultivations, risking its extinction. In 2001 a project for the re-introduction of the turchesa potato has started trying to incentivize the cultivation in the provinces of L’Aquila, Teramo, Rieti e Pescara, where it is picked from the end of the summer till October.

Cookit

From Gran Sasso, the blue potato with 500 years of history. Recognizable for its peel full of antioxidants but also for the knotted shape and the white inside, this potato is perfect to make many recipes. Thanks to its grainy consistency is perfect to make gnocchi, or as a side dish sliced and baked. But also fried or grilled! Delicious with baccala and roasted peppers!

Did you know

The turchesa potato makes very particular flowers, sky blue, that can last on the plant till November. But it’s not over… if the weather allows, this variety generates a fruit, a brown or green berry that looks like a tomato. This fruit is highly toxic due to some substances contained and it can’t be eaten!

Variety

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