Prickly pear from Valle del Torto, "Ficudinia"
Product included in the national list of traditional agri-food products (PAT)
PAT type: Vegetable products in their natural state or processed
Production area:
Technical data sheet of the traditional agri-food product (PAT)
Area of production: Upper valley of the river Torto, and more precisely Roccapalumba, Alia, Vicari, Lercara Friddi.
Brief description of the product: The prickly pear is a sub-tropical plant, the fruit it produces is an ovoid-shaped berry. There are three varieties: the white called “muscaredda” - 90% of the production; the yellow called “sulfarina” - 5% of the production; the red called "sanguine" - 5% of the production.
Description of the processing and maturing methods: in order to obtain a product of higher quality, size and yield, in spring the fruits (called agostani) and the young blades are removed to obtain a second autumn production, thus the "scozzolato" fruit called in Roccapalumbese "Bastarduni" is obtained; furthermore, in the second production, to improve the product even more, thinning is carried out which consists in removing part of the fruit which has reached 2-3 cm. in height. Harvesting operations begin in October and last until December. After harvesting, the fruits are despinated.
Specific materials and equipment used for preparation and conditioning: The unpinned and mechanically calibrated fruit is immediately released for consumption in packages that comply with the new legislation, in wood and cardboard.
Description of the processing, storage and maturing rooms: After processing, the product is generally released for consumption immediately. Otherwise it is stored in cool and ventilated rooms.
Elements proving that the methodologies have been practiced in a homogeneous way and according to traditional rules for a period of not less than 25 years: In 1855, Vito D'Amico, in the “Topographical Dictionary of Sicily” certifies that in the Roccapalumba territory an extension of land equal to 11,434 “corpses”, corresponding to approximately 22.44.00 Ha, were cultivated with prickly pears. The "scozzolatura", according to Pitrè, was experimented in 1819 in Calamina by the land surveyor Francesco Fazio, whose son moved to Roccapalumba, where it is assumed that he introduced this technique. In the 50s, the prickly pears of Regalgioffoli, a hamlet of Roccapalumba, were so many and renowned for their particular taste, that many Palermo wholesalers bought the fruit on the tree.
Source Pat Cards: Sicily Region
Card insertion: Ignazio Caloggero
Information contributions: Web, Region of Sicily
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