Traditional Agri-food product of Emilia-Romagna
Inserted in the list of Agri-food Traditional Products of Emilia-Romagna (Burer n°52 of March 28, 2012)
Consortium: Flavors of Montescudovand Monte Colombo (“I Sapori di Montescudo e Monte Colombo”)
Area of production: Municipality of Montescudoand Monte Colombo Rimini
Variety: Potato of Montescudo Patèna ad Muscudle (in local dialect)
Use and consumption: Gnocchi, stewed, fried, baked with roast or stewed meat, cod. Great for ice cream
Characteristics and organoleptic properties. With an oval round shape, the potato of Montescudo distinguishes itself for its resistance, and its light red or yellow color, with white or yellow pulp.
Area of production: Montescudo, and especially the areas of Albereto, Gaiano and Trarivi,
Production techniques (methods of craftsmanship, storage and seasoning): growing in fields, without forcing, following the integrated pest management and with manual extraction. Best stored in small boxes, in areas with little light and low temperatures. Materials and special equipment used for the preparation, the conditioning or the packaging of products: storage in small boxes, packaging in net bags. Processing, storage and seasoning environments: warehouses of the producers themselves, without light, ventilated and with low temperatures. Consortiums, associations and committees: the Potato of Montescudo is part of the list of products of the Consortium “The Flavors of Montescudo and Monte Colombo” (“I Sapori di Montescudo e Monte Colombo”).
Distribution: producer-to-consumer trade for small amounts.
Promotional initiatives: Potato Food Festival and Gnocchi Food Festival (“Festa degli Gnocchi”) – Exhibition of Agricultural and Artisanal Products (“Fiera dei prodotti agricoli e artigianali”) (on the second weekend of the month of August). Weekly Sunday Market, in the morning. Little Festival of Flavors (“Piccolo Festival dei Sapori”) (first Sunday of November).
Dishes: It is used in the preparation of the traditional potato gnocchi of Montescudo with cod. It can also be combined with stewed meat, baked rabbit or chicken, and it is great for making puree (mashed potatoes). It has been recently used to prepare a flavorful ice cream.
History and tradition Historical insights: grown for centuries and favored by the special conditions of the soil, during World War II it has been a relevant livelihood. Tradition: For over 40 years, after the harvest, the Potato has become the protagonist of the second weekend of August, during which the Potato Festival takes place, along with the Gnocchi Festival.
Recipe of potato gnocchi (“gnocchi di patate”): 600 grams of stewed Montescudo Potatoes, 300 grams of white flour, salt. Crush and mix the potatoes with flour and salt, until you get a homogeneous mass. Create long tiny cylinders with a diameter of a couple of centimeters and cut them in small parts (“gnocchi”). Cook them in a pot full of salted water, until they come afloat. Add meat sauce (“ragù”) or any other sauce you may prefer.