Fruit, vegetables and pulses

Vesuvius centogiorni pea

Vesuvius centogiorni pea, sweet and tender-skinned, grown by hand on volcanic soil

Named after the average length of its growing cycle, this climbing pea is raised by hand on the volcanic land around Vesuvius, unwatered and often among apricot trees, cherries and vines. Higher-yielding industrial varieties pushed it back into family gardens; it is now a Slow Food Presidium and a traditional agri-food product (PAT) of Campania.

• Pale green pods 8-12 cm long, each holding seven or eight small round peas
• Marked sweetness and a tender skin that stays soft even once the pea is dried
• Fresh from March to early May; left to dry on the plant, it turns beige and keeps all year

How to enjoy it. This is the pea for Neapolitan pasta e piselli, cooked with onion and pancetta, and a natural partner for salt cod; dried, it brings spring flavour to the kitchen long after harvest.

Production areas

Campania

Season

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