Everybody loves them, they are a classic of Italian cuisine, but in Alto Oltrepò Pavese they are different. This is because here the basic product has a precise and defined name: the Cencerate potato. In this small hamlet of Brallo di Pregola, these exquisite tubers have been produced for over a century: round, small and, above all, good. A production that has achieved excellence thanks to the peculiarities of the gravelly soil, which does not allow rainwater to stagnate and transmits the humidity necessary for growth. The altitude also makes a difference, providing the right temperature range for the potato. Potato fields can also be found in other hamlets of Brallo di Pregola, such as Colleri, Casone and Feligara. Today, the potato is more commonly known as the "Brallo potato", to indicate the production area, and is the delight of every housewife. As well as being used to make gnocchi, this humble product of the Upper Padana region can be boiled, fried and roasted.
The varieties and the De.Co
A De.Co. specification regulates and protects the cultivation of potatoes in Brallo di Pregola. The most widely grown potatoes in the area are the traditional varieties such as Bintje, Kennebec, Desirèe, Monalisa, Kuroda, Vivaldi, Spunta, Primura and Cornetta 'ovi de galo'. According to the De.Co specification, Brallo potatoes placed on the market must have a minimum width of more than 25 mm and a maximum width of 120 mm. Two size standards are recommended for marketing. One for small potatoes, from 25 to 50 mm, and one for medium potatoes, from 50 to 120 mm. They must be free of cuts, wounds, abrasions, fungus, spots and, as far as possible, foreign bodies. At the point of sale, potatoes may be sold either in bags of a minimum size of 2 kg and a maximum size of 25 kg or in boxes.
Not to be missed, gnocchi with porcini mushrooms
If you are in Alto Oltrepò Pavese, it will be difficult to miss a traditional dish: gnocchi with Cencerate potatoes and porcini mushrooms. Famous for its mushroom production, this corner of the Pavese combines two of the earth's bounties to offer a rich dish with a strong flavour.
The festival
In Brallo di Pregola the Potato Festival, held every year on the second Sunday of September, has become a historical tradition. Stalls, typical products and gastronomic specialities based on potatoes.
The history of potato gnocchi
The word 'gnocco' has an ancient origin, probably derived from the Lombard word 'knohhil', which referred to the knot in the wood. Its origin is lost in the mists of time, but the history of potato gnocchi in our continent began when the first potatoes were imported from America to Europe. Other types of gnocchi, made from potato crumbs and vegetables, appeared at the banquets of the Lombard Renaissance. With the arrival of the potato, gnocchi took on a decidedly tastier variant!
Between legend and curiosity
The potato has been the subject of many stories and legends over the centuries.
The poisonous potato: One of the most widespread legends about the potato is that it was once considered poisonous. This belief stems from the fact that the potato's leaves resemble those of a poisonous plant, the nightshade. According to a legend from the Napoleonic era, the Prussian general Frederick the Great is said to have ordered the cultivation of potatoes as a source of food for the population. It is said that people were initially reluctant to eat potatoes, but Frederick ordered them to be planted and guarded the fields to prevent the plants from being stolen. This decision enabled the population to survive during times of famine.
