Products of the land

Violina Pumpkin

The “violina” pumpkin - recalling a violin shape - is definitely one of the protagonist of many traditional Ferrara recipes. 
It is the typical pumpkin variety of our province, achieving an excellent quality in terms of flesh consistency and flavour! 
Despite its American origins, pumpkin has been fused with local tradition since long ago its use is largely diffused. 
We eats quite every part of the pumpkin: flowers are excellent if fried, the seeds are perfect for aperitifs and the pulp is used for sweet and savoury recipes such as the delicious cappellacci.

Garlic from Voghiera

Garlic has traveled the West since the time of the Egyptians. Although its origins are oriental, it was soon integrated into the culinary but also apothecary tradition of Italian regions.
In the Ferrara area, the cultivation of garlic was encouraged by the Este family since the late Middle Ages. In the ancient countryside of Voghenza, today Voghiera, much of the land was used for the cultivation of vegetable, aromatic herbs but above all garlic. Even after the time of Este domination, the cultivation of garlic has continued over the centuries until today.
Garlic of Voghiera has earned the DOP mark thanks to the characteristic balance between quality and aroma, deriving from the light soil, characterized by river sands. A product that has crossed the threshold of time and has found various uses in the kitchen and beyond. Used to cure, to chase away evil, to flavor but also as a tonic, it has an important tradition also in the Ferrara area.

Rice from the Po Delta

Although it may surprise you, one of the most prized native products in Ferrara is rice. Typical in particular of the areas around Jolanda di Savoia, rice has a very ancient origin in our territory, although actual cultivation began around 1500.
We cultivate different rice varieties including carnaroli, arborio, baldo and volano and black venere. 
Our rice, which you can simply find at the supermarket, is a versatile food, the basis of many tasty recipes!

White Truffle

Appreciated since ancient times, there is evidence that this fragrant product was already being used in the 1st century AD. Difficult to find, it is a coveted and precious product.  Our province is nationally important for the production of white truffles, the most delicious, but there are also several other varieties such as the smooth black truffle, the black winter truffle, the scorzone, the bianchetto or the pinewood truffle. Not surprisingly, it is one of the ingredients in the richest versions of Pasticcio alla ferrarese!

Altedo Asparagus

Asparagus probably had its origins in Mesopotamia, then having been spread along the Mediterranean thanks to the Egyptians' trade.
Although the name reads Asparago di Altedo IGP, this prized tuber is also cultivated throughout the province of Ferrara
According to ancient texts, the asparagus root was an excellent remedy for toothache and the extracted oil was used as a bee repellent. According to the ancients, asparagus also had beneficial properties for male fertility, as well as for purifying the kidneys.

Delta Carrot

The carrot is one of the most widespread wild plants in the world. Its cultivation in Europe became definitive during the Renaissance and since then it has been a must-have ingredient in many preparations and recipes. In the province of Ferrara, this sweet product of the earth is cultivated in the sandy areas of the Delta.