The White Artichoke of Pertosa

The white artichoke of Pertosa is a species without thorns, with big inflorescences and with a very pale color tending to silver.

It grows up in a limited area of Salerno, in particular, although it is usually associated to Pertosa, it can be found in the zones of Auletta, Caggiano and Salvitelle too.  In the ‘80s, this species was almost dying out and it was thanks to a group of farmers who took to heart this happening and from about one hectare in those years, today it has arrived at a surface computable in about 15 hectares.

The collection of this wonderful vegetable, great friend of health and above all of the taste buds, starts around the second decade of April and continues until the end of May. The principal flower heads are eaten fresh and cooked in various ways, while the secondary flower heads are stored in extra virgin olive oil, or transformed in cream and stored in oil too.

The white artichoke is the uncontested protagonist of the tables but also of the agricultural activities. An important cultivation that is returning incomes to the families that cultivate them.

 Moreover, this vegetable, in addition to be a delight for the mouth, has been always considered an ally for the health of the human organism. In fact, it is rich in iron, has an excellent nutritional value and a low calorie count. Even the popular culture has always given it therapeutic and healthy virtues. In particular, the artichoke stimulates the liver, alleviates the cough, tones, purifies the blood, fortifies the heart and detoxifies.