Typical Calabrian products: list of vegetables and recipes

Typical Calabrian products derive from a poor cuisine of predominantly peasant origin. Flavors and colors mix with the scents of the land and the sea, giving life to unique dishes appreciated throughout the peninsula. The list of typical Calabrian products is very long, ranging from sausages to cheeses, from bread to fruit, from vegetables to wines. In this guide, however, we want to focus on vegetables, of which Calabria boasts products such as the red onion of Tropea, the red aubergine of Rotonda, the spicy chili pepper, the potato of Sila, the tomato of Belmonte. These are foods that lend themselves to numerous delicious recipes and with a unique flavor, which have made Calabria one of the most renowned regions from a gastronomic point of view. Here is an overview of typical Calabrian vegetables : discover everything about cultivation, properties, recipes and benefits.

EXCELLENT CALABRESE PRODUCTS: THE RED ONION OF TROPEA

The Tropea onion is one of the most famous Calabrian products in the world, together with chili pepper and nduja. It is a type of Allium cepa grown mainly in Nicotera (Vibo Valentia) and Campora San Giovanni (Cosenza). Production takes place in Ricadi, a municipality located between Capo Vaticano and Briatico. Imported by the Phoenicians, the red onion has been grown in Calabria for about 2000 years. The shape is round or ovoid and is made up of concentric white tunics covered by a red casing. There are 3 types of red onion:

• Storing onion: red-purple in color, the flavor is sweet and crunchy.
• Spring onion: the color is white-pink or purple, it has a sweet and soft flavor.
• Onion for fresh consumption: it has a white-red to purple color and a sweet and tender flavor.

It is rich in vitamins C and E, and also contains magnesium, iodine, zinc, selenium and iron. It has, as a result, countless beneficial properties: it acts as an antibiotic and antibacterial, it is an excellent expectorant. Furthermore, the red onion is excellent as a diuretic, depurative and has sedative properties. It protects the heart and arteries, reduces the risk of liver, colon, ovarian and laryngeal cancer: it frees the body from toxins, reducing the risk of inflammation and therefore eliminating tumor foci. The bulbs act as hypoglycemics, therefore they are excellent for lowering blood glucose levels.
Finally, the red onion of Tropea can be used in the kitchen in a thousand ways: it is possible to prepare preserves and jams, it is excellent to eat raw in salads (for example tomato salad) and it is the ingredient par excellence in soffritto. And it does not end there: the red onion can be enjoyed caramelized, sweet and sour, baked and even stuffed.

If you want to know more, consult our in-depth article on the red onion of Tropea , where you will find everything there is to know about the variety, cultivation, properties, contraindications, recipes and many other curiosities: Red Onion of Tropea: cultivation, properties and recipes

WHAT ARE THE TYPICAL CALABRESE PRODUCTS: THE SPICY CHILI PEPPER

The Calabrian chili pepper is another emblem of the Calabria region: throughout Italy it is considered by everyone as the king of chili peppers, used in cooking both fresh and dried. Its flavor is spicy and at the same time very aromatic, so it is easy to combine it with the many dishes of not only Calabrian cuisine, but also national. The chili pepper plant has American origins: in 5500 BC it was grown in Mexico and used as a spice. It was Christopher Columbus who imported it to Europe in 1493 and from there it had growing success. Currently there are 31 varieties of chili pepper, both spicy and sweet, and of these 5 are cultivated: Capsicum annuum, Capsicum baccatum, Capsicum chinense, Caspicum frutescens, Capsicum pubescens. The Calabrian chili pepper belongs to the Capsicum annuum species, the most cultivated in the world and which includes both sweet and spicy chili peppers. It is called by different names, diavolicchio, Spagnolocchio, pipu, ruggianti, but there are various types:

• Salomon pepper: the fruit is between 5 and 8 centimetres long, with a slightly spicy flavour.
• Poinsettia: very spicy, the fruit is 7 cm long and fiery red.
• Soverato: medium spiciness, the fruit is 3 cm long and red in colour.
• Spicy Dog Nose: medium spiciness, the fruits are 12 cm long and red in colour.
• Sweet dog nose: the fruit is 12 cm long and red in color. The flavor is juicy and sweet, not very spicy.
• Soverato Vulcan: medium spiciness, the fruits are 3 cm long and red in colour.
• Cherry: round fruits with a diameter of about 5 cm and a color from green to red. The spiciness is medium-high.
• Satan's Kiss: medium spiciness, the fruit is round with a diameter of about 2-3 cm, the colour is red.

Whether Calabrese or not, chili pepper has many beneficial properties: therapeutic, slimming and some even claim aphrodisiac. It is an excellent antioxidant and useful in preventing tumors. It helps circulation and aids digestion. It is used to treat coughs and is excellent against rheumatic pain. However, you need to be careful: not everyone can consume chili pepper, in fact it is not recommended for those suffering from ulcers, hemorrhoids, hepatitis, cystitis and gastroenteritis. It is also not recommended for pregnant women and children under 12, as they have a very delicate digestive system.
As for its use in cooking, chili pepper can be used to flavor all dishes: the important thing is not to overdo it and make sure that the spicy flavor does not displease the diners! It is also used to preserve food: you can find it as an ingredient in the preparation of preserves, for example aubergines in oil, crushed olives or giardiniera. It is the basis of nduja, piccantino and many spicy sauces. Finally, chili pepper is also used to prepare desserts: from jam to chocolate, from cakes to ice cream.

If you want to know more about the Calabrian chili pepper, the plant, the varieties, benefits and contraindications, recipes and curiosities, do not miss our in-depth article: Chili pepper: plant, benefits, varieties and recipes.

CALABRESE PRODUCTS: SILA POTATOES

The Sila potato is a type of potato that is grown on the Sila plateau. Its cultivation has a long history: the oldest attestations date back to the Statistics of the Kingdom of Naples in 1811. Around the 1950s, the Silano Center for the Multiplication and Selection of Seed Potatoes was established, with the aim of spreading the certified seed. Sila potatoes have the characteristic of long conservation and are suitable for different recipes. Compared to other varieties, they are great for frying, have a thicker skin and a more pronounced flavor due to the high percentage of starch. Thanks to the soil rich in potassium, irrigation with spring water and the characteristic temperature variations of the microclimate, the Sila potato has all these characteristics that differentiate it from other varieties. The tuber belongs to the Solanum Tuberosum species of the Solanaceae family and at the moment 6 varieties are grown in Calabria:

• Agria
• Desiree
• Business
• Majestic
• Marabel
• Nicholas

The municipalities where these varieties of potatoes are grown are numerous: in the province of Cosenza in Acri, Aprigliano, Colosimi, Longobucco, Parenti, Rogliano, Spezzano della Sila, while in the province of Catanzaro in Decollatura, Albi, Cicala, Martirano, Serrastretta, Soveria Mannelli, Taverna. As for their properties, potatoes contain potassium, vitamin C and complex carbohydrates. They are therefore energetic and anti-inflammatory foods and are recommended in cases of diabetes. They also help blood circulation, the skin and the digestive system. Finally, let's not underestimate the gastronomic side: with Sila potatoes you can make a thousand recipes suitable for all occasions. Among the most famous recipes, there are for example the mpacchiuse potatoes cooked in a pan with Tropea onion and Calabrian chili pepper , fried potatoes with the skin and the tasty potato omelette.

CALABRESE VEGETABLES: BELMONTE TOMATO

The Belmonte tomato is typical of the Belmonte Calabro area, in the province of Cosenza. It is a very large tomato variety, ranging from 400 g to 3 kg in weight. According to what we know from tradition, it seems that the seeds were brought to Calabria at the beginning of the twentieth century by a Calabrian emigrant returning from America. Since 2003, the Belmonte has been the only tomato in Italy to possess the Denominazione Comunale d'Origine trademark. The fruit is light pink with a darker color on the lower part and green ribs. The shape is oblong, almost teardrop-shaped, with a thickening in the middle. This tomato variety is grown on hills with deep, medium-textured soil. Cultivation is carried out mainly by farmers in Belmonte Calabro, who manually select the seeds and check the seedlings during growth. The seedlings are planted between the end of April and the end of May, spaced about 50 or 60 cm apart. Regarding its properties, let's say right away that tomatoes have very few calories, a good content of minerals and trace elements, water, very little fat and contain vitamins A, C and group B. It is ideal for fighting the heat, prevents numerous pathologies and is also used in cases of gout and hypertension. It also has a detoxifying and regenerating function of cells and tissues. The Belmonte tomato can be used in cooking like any other variety, but among the many recipes, the best involves the fruit cut into large slices and seasoned with extra virgin olive oil, coarse salt, oregano and basil.

CALABRESE PRODUCTS: AUBERGINE

Another typical Calabrian vegetable is the aubergine: it is particularly widespread throughout the South and in Lazio, but in Calabria it is the main ingredient of many recipes. Probably originally from China and India, it was introduced in Italy around 1300. Based on its colour and shape it is classified into:

• New York Violet
• Violet of Florence
• Violet of Naples
• Wide Morada
• New York Giant
• Long Violet
• Red of Rotonda

Eggplant is rich in water and beneficial properties: it lowers cholesterol and, being a low-calorie food, can be introduced into slimming diets. It is an excellent purifier for the body and, thanks to chlorogenic acid, it also has antioxidant properties. It also keeps bones healthy, prevents anemia thanks to iron and is good for the brain. Among the countless Calabrian recipes, the famous Calabrian eggplant meatballs stand out, made with breadcrumbs, mint, pecorino cheese and eggs. But it doesn't end there: with eggplants you can cook tasty rolls or the very famous parmigiana, prepare stuffed eggplants grilled or floured and fried, to put on spaghetti with tomato sauce with a little chili pepper.

DRIED FIGS

Typical of the Calabrian tradition are also dried figs prepared by drying the fresh fruit. They are usually used at the end of a meal or in sweet or savory recipes.