Seasonal goodness: the sweet potato

The sweet potato, which many of you will know better under the name of American potato, belongs to the Convolvulaceae family. It is therefore not a solanacea, like the common potato, tomato, eggplant and pepper. An annual crop of tropical America widespread in all tropical and even temperate regions, it is the protagonist of a significant migration of agro-biodiversity: red and purple varieties are replacing and expanding the agricultural range of the white variety, or the classic American potato introduced centuries ago.

In Italy, the alluvial areas in Polesine, Puglia and Lazio are mainly affected, where more than a century ago the American potato was cultivated extensively as a substitute for beetroot.

The re-diversification of the sweet potato draws from cultivars selected in Northern Europe and North America and also from tropical South American and Asian varieties, suitable for growing on alluvial soils with abundant spring rains and tolerant to summer heat, and therefore to extreme drought and heavy rain. At the same time, the most interesting organoleptic characteristics of sweet potato that had been excluded in the past, namely the highly variable color, the presence of various antioxidants and the complexity of starches, are now highly appreciated by consumers and chefs, in red and purple varieties.

All three are characterized by an abundant content of mineral salts vitamins A and C (and in smaller quantities B and E), proteins, potassium, magnesium , iron and calcium. The red and purple varieties are rich in flavonoids and anthocyanins.

In the kitchen, the American potato, easy to find this early autumn, can be eaten simply boiled, but also baked, fried, or cooked on the grill.

In the town of Anguillara Veneta, on the border with the province of Rovigo, a typical American potato growing area, it is customary to transform it into sweet gnocchi, a rich and tasty dish with a unique taste, seasoned with brown sugar, cinnamon, parmesan and melted butter.

You can find it at the stand in Corso Stati Uniti (wholesale), at the banquets in Padua, Mestre, Venice and at the Sotto il Salone store baked in the oven ready to taste!

Bon Appetit!