Description
The Patata Novella di Galatina PDO refers to the tuber obtained from the Sieglinde variety of the species Solanum tuberosum L., with a yellow or reddish brown skin and yellowish pulp.
Production Area
The production area of Patata Novella di Galatina PDO is within the administrative territory of the municipalities of Acquarica del Capo, Alliste, Casarano, Castrignano del Capo, Galatina, Galatone, Gallipoli, Matino, Melissano, Morciano Di Leuca, Nardò, Parabita, Patù, Presicce, Racale, Salve, Sannicola, Taviano, and Ugento, in the Province of Lecce, in the Apulia region.
Production Method
The terrain destined for the cultivation of Patata Novella di Galatina must be carefully prepared. The growers practice a two-year crop rotation with the complete absence of Solanaceae plants for two years. Deep tillage is carried during the period between August 1st and September 30th. Sowing takes place from November 20th until the end of February, using certified seed potatoes that are planted whole or cut. The crops are then fertilised according to the maximum permissible quantities for each plant. The tubers are harvested between the first ten days of March and June 30th. The operations are carried out with simple mechanical tools which do not come into direct contact with the product, contributing to the preservation of the tubers’ regular and homogeneous appearance. The total production is 40,000 kg per hectare. Once harvested, the tubers cannot be washed or stored for more than 30 days.
Appearance and Flavour
Patata Novella di Galatina PDO is elongated or oval in shape and medium-sized. It has a bright, deep yellow skin that is even and flakes easily, but without any cracks. The skin may turn a rusty-chocolate colour due to the presence of soil residues deriving from the red earth the product grows in. The pulp is firm and yellowish.
History
The Patata Novella di Galatina PDO was introduced into Salento after the Second World War. The historical presence of this crop in the area is evidenced by the allocation of the name Galatina, which identifies a well-defined geographical place, to which the product's reputation and specific organoleptic qualities are traditionally linked, before its cultivation spread into neighbouring towns close to the Ionian coast. The main market for Patata Novella di Galatina is in Northern Europe, with more than 80% of exports reserved for the German market, mainly between April and June, while the national market is mostly ignored.
Gastronomy
The Patata Novella di Galatina PDO should be kept in a cool, dry place, away from sources of light. The product can be used in numerous ways: it is ideal sliced into salads, but is also excellent boiled, fried or roasted as a side dish. In Salento it is also used in a tasty regional pasta dish: pasta with potatoes and mussels.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Patata Novella di Galatina PDO and is sold in cartons, canvas bags, jute bags, vertbags; it is sold in two different size classes: 28 -40 mm or 32-65 mm. Only whole, ungerminated tubers can be put on the market, and they must be a regular shape and without any malformations.
Distinctive Features
Patata Novella di Galatina PDO is characterised by the early-ripening of the crop, due to the sandy soil that heats up quickly, and its specific chemical-physical properties, such as the low content of starch and dry matter. The unusual and characteristic soil, rich in phosphorus and absorbable iron that give it a typical red colour, gives the tuber’s skin its distinctive rusty-chocolate colour. The product’s low content of dry matter is also given to the soil’s properties: the tubers do not come across any obstacles during their growing cycle, thanks to the soil’s sandy nature and organic matter content, and are therefore able to reach their full growing potential and a very large size.
