Description
The Pimiento Riojano PGI is a pepper from the Solanacea family belonging to the Capsicum annuum L. species in the Najerano variety. It can be sold fresh or in conserves.
Production Area
The production area of Pimiento Riojano PGI is located in the Rioja Alta, Rioja Baja and Rioja Media areas, in the Autonomous Community of Rioja.
Production Method
The seeds are selected by farmers among the best plants to epitomize the vegetable quality and the authenticity of this variety. Harvesting is always handmade with high accurateness and in different phases, when the vegetables have achieved the right level of maturation. Then, they are transported to the warehouse where fresh peppers are manually packaged after the elimination of the damaged or deteriorated ones. The treatment to prepare conserves is based on ancient traditions and includes roasting, peeling and hand-cleaning of peppers which are neither washed in water nor in chemical solutions, but packaged without adding liquids. Therefore, the package contains only the pepper liquid, which comes from the vegetable after cooking.
Appearance and Flavour
Pimiento Riojano PGI has a conic shape and a slightly corrugated surface, smooth and free from stains, with a slightly sharp top. It has two-three faces with a length of 16-18 cm and a thickness of 6-8 mm, while the flesh is fine and contains only a few placentas. The average weight goes from 225 to 300 gr. Once maturated, it is bright red coloured. Its taste is sweet.
History
The preparation of the conserves of Pimiento Riojano PGI comes from the culinary tradition of the Rioja region and is famous throughout Spain. Indeed, this pepper, both fresh and conserved, was eaten in the entire country already in 1876. Its fame has grown over the years and, since 1930, the product has been exported to other European countries and to the United States.
Gastronomy
The Pimiento Riojano PGI, when fresh, must be stored in dry and ventilated rooms, while the conserve, on the contrary, must be always covered with the liquid in the packaging. It can be used fresh, raw or cooked in different ways as well as in conserves. It can be tasted in different ways: as antipasto, side dishes or to enrich salads. In addition, all the typical dishes of the area, called "Riojana style", are based on the chilindrón which is a tomato and pepper based mix.
Marketing
The product is sold as Pimiento Riojano PGI, fresh or in conserves. Fresh peppers belong to the First Class and can be red or green in colour or Pimiento entreverado variety. On the contrary, the conserves belong to the Extra class and contain green, red or entreverados peppers, which are different depending on the writings on the logo: roasted in wood-fired oven or roasted through direct flame. The fresh product is sold loose or suitably packed. The packaging is in metal or glass with different weights.
Distinctive Features
The Pimiento Riojano PGI is one of the most famous and appreciated Spanish specialities, both due to its high quality and to the fact that pepper conserves are an ancient and usual culinary tradition in Spain.
