Pantelleria capers: tradition, history and tasty recipes
Today we are talking about one of the most precious ingredients of Sicilian cuisine: the Pantelleria Caper! The protagonist of many recipes, especially spring and summer, the Pantelleria caper is the flower bud of a particular plant cultivated on the island of Pantelleria, in the province of Trapani, and since 1996 recognized as PGI.
Do you know why the Pantelleria IGP Caper differs from other types of capers and is characterized by a more intense and strong flavor? Because it is cultivated in a particular type of lava soil, which contains very high percentages of a protein substance called glucocapparin.
But let’s discover together its origins, its history and, most importantly, how to use it in the kitchen to enrich, flavor and make extraordinary many dishes. Let’s get started!
Capers from pantelleria: origin and history
The Pantelleria IGP Capers (chiappéro, chiappáro) is nothing more than the flower bud of the plant belonging to the botanical species Capparis spinosa, variety inermis, cultivar Nocellara.
This delicious bud is subjected to ripening by a slow process of salting, in which sea salt is used. With its peculiar globular, subspherical shape and its dark green color tending to mustard, the Pantelleria Caper gives a very strong aromatic smell that also characterizes its flavor, which is typically salty. But what are its origins?
To talk about the origins of the Pantelleria Caper, we have to go back to the time of the Greeks and Latins. Even then, the caper was known for its beneficial properties, its gastronomic use and its aphrodisiac virtues, which were even mentioned in the Bible.
Speaking of its health and body benefits, the caper is mentioned in the seventeenth century in Domenico Romoli‘s famous culinary treatise La singolar Dottrina, which states that “quei che mangeranno non hauran dolore di milza, ne di fegato […] son contrari alla melanchonia” (“those who eat it do not hauran pain of spleen, nor of liver […] are contrary to melanchonia“).
How the Pantelleria caper is grown
Regarding its cultivation, in more modern times, it is in Pietro Calcara Breve‘s essay that there is a mention of caper farming on the island of Pantelleria and in Il Giornale della Commissione d’Agricoltura e Pastorizia in Sicilia.
It is in this work that the economic and commercial value of the caper for the island of Pantelleria is emphasized, which has since made it popular and widespread in the rest of Italy and the world as well.
But why precisely the island of Pantelleria for the cultivation of the Caper? Well, we know that Pantelleria’s soil is volcanic in origin and extremely arid due to low rainfall, and it is precisely these characteristics that make it the ideal environment for caper cultivation.
Caper seedlings are planted in the soils considered most suitable for cultivation, namely those terraced and most exposed to the sun. The soil is then tilled and fertilized during the winter season, and the caper plants are pruned.
During the hottest time of the year, between late May and September, the plants begin to flower and unopened flower buds are also harvested. These buds must be harvested in a timely manner, as soon as they sprout and before dawn. And strictly by hand!
Only flower buds that have reached a sufficient degree of maturity are harvested, while the others are left to ripen further. The smaller ones, after ripening, become the best product for the tables.
Once harvested, the capers are placed in a vat and covered with coarse sea salt and stirred daily for as long as 10 days. The vegetation water is removed and a second salting is carried out, proceeding with stirring for an additional 10 days.
This is the process that is followed annually to bring our Pantelleria Capers to the table. But how to use them in the kitchen? What dishes to prepare to fully enjoy them?
Let’s discover some recipes together!
The Pantelleria caper in Sicilian cuisine: best recipes and ideas for cooking it
Let’s start with a tip! Usually, in order not to lose their very intense aroma they should not be cooked, but it is better to add them at the end of cooking to be only slightly warmed.
Capers can also be chopped to garnish fish or meat tartare, to flavor pasta, salad and even on pizza, or to flavor tomato sauces. In Pantelleria cuisine they are also used to make pestos, delicious fish sauces, pates and appetizers.
In short, in the kitchen Pantelleria capers are particularly versatile! However, we recommend that you remove the sea salt with which they are preserved. This method of preservation allows you to maintain the organoleptic properties and flavor of capers for years. Here are a few recipes you absolutely must try to fully savor its extraordinary aromatic flavor.
Pantelleria capers pate
Anyone who has visited the island of Pantelleria at least once knows that this pate is a must-have in every aperitif. It is a richly savory and aromatic pate that encapsulates the essence and flavor of the island.
It can be served with Pantelleria bread and enjoyed with a good glass of wine!
Definitely one of the tastiest but also easiest recipes to prepare with Pantelleria Capers. This creamy sauce can be spread on warm bread, on crostini or used to dress a good pasta dish. All you need is olive oil, chili pepper and, of course, some Pantelleria Capers.
Here is the original and super quick recipe!
Pasta all’Eoliana (Aeolian-style pasta)
Summer is approaching and what could be better than a fresh pasta dish, reminiscent of the scents carried by the summer wind in Sicilian currents? Pasta alla Eoliana is definitely a popular typical dish, not only in Pantelleria.
It is a light, fresh and inviting dish prepared with cherry tomatoes, green and black olives, anchovies, garlic, chili pepper, olive oil and Pantelleria capers. You can use your favorite spaghetti or pasta and, if you wish, you can garnish with some toasted breadcrumbs.
It only takes a few minutes to bring to the table a traditional dish that will leave everyone extraordinarily surprised. Here is the recipe to prepare it!
Sicilian citrus pesto
And if we have to talk about fresh, light, flavorful and invitingly scented dishes, then we have to mention one of the Sicilian pestos that best celebrate the summer season: Sicilian citrus pesto!
This is a pasta dish with citrus notes, prepared with Sicilian oranges and lemons, almonds, olive oil and, guess what, Pantelleria capers. You can use this delicious and fragrant pesto to dress spaghetti or, why not, a risotto! Try it to believe.
Here is the original recipe for citrus pesto!
Pantesca salad
And to conclude this review of the best Sicilian recipes with Pantelleria capers, we must definitely mention the Pantesca salad!
This dish is, probably, one of the best known dishes of the Trapanese tradition and of the island’s gastronomic culture. A true triumph of flavors that, through the palate, allows you to take a journey through Mediterranean colors and scents.
Pantesca Salad is a typical recipe from the island of Pantelleria, prepared with simple ingredients that can be found anywhere. Potatoes, cherry tomatoes, sweet red onion, black olives, olive oil and Pantelleria capers become the perfect side dish to accompany fish and meat dishes or a delicious and light main course to impress your guests.
Here is the recipe for preparing an unforgettable Pantelleria salad!
What about you, have you ever tasted Pantelleria capers? Have you used them in your recipes? Do you have other recipes to suggest?
Let us know in the comments and … enjoy!
