Turca, Turchesa or Turchesca: These are the names that since the late 1700s have been used for an unusual purple potato grown in the mountains of Abruzzo, highlighting its foreign origins (turco means Turkish). The names bring to mind granoturco, corn, another crop that came to Italy from far away, from the New World. Like corn, the potato once represented an invaluable source of wealth and an important food resource for the economies in the Gran Sasso area. The tuber could be grown at high altitudes (even over 1,600 meters above sea level), was easy to store and could be consumed locally or exchanged for other staples. In some villages in the mountains around L’Aquila, caves and other underground spaces close to the houses were used to store the precious potatoes after the harvest, ensuring they were available all year round.
The Turchesa potato has a dark purple skin, rich in antioxidants, and white flesh with a low water content and medium density and granularity, making it suitable for cooking in a variety of ways.
Apart from the unmistakable skin color, it can also be recognized by its irregular, lumpy shape and many deep eyes, a distinctive genetic sign of heritage varieties. The flowers are also unusual, with a pale-blue tint to the petals, and remain on the plant for a long time (depending on the season, until as late as November). When conditions are favorable, the Turchesa plant also produces small, dark, tomato-like fruits, which contain the seeds.
Season
Harvest is from August to October
Back to the archive >The association of producers now has over 20 members, who are committed not only to following the principles of environmentally friendly agriculture, but also carefully reproducing the seeds, following a strict protocol, so as to preserve the Turchesa’s genetic heritage and ensure healthy and virus-free propagation material.
The producers also provide information about production (quantities, methods) through a QR code on the packaging, which links to a web page.
Production area
Inland Apennine mountains within the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga national park, L’Aquila, Teramo, Rieti and Pescara provinces
Presidium supported by
Gal Gran Sasso Velino
L'Aquila (Aq)
Via delle Nocelle 13
tel. +39 347 9331664
gino.carpente@alice.it
Filiberto Cioti
Campli (Te)
Via Paterno
tel. +39 339 6276273
info@aziendaagricolacioti.it
Marco Matergia
Barisciano (Aq)
Via Provinciale, 145
tel. +39 0862 89335 - 334 1041133
lucio.matergia@univaq.it
Filomena Moretti
c/o Osteria del Pescatore
Campotosto (Aq)
Via Rio Fucino
tel. +39 0862 900227
Dante Santavicca
Barisciano (Aq)
Via Aldo Moro
tel. +39 0862 89420 – 347 6040425
stefanosantavicca@gmail.com
Massimiliano Rosati
Amatrice (Ri)
Frazione Nommisci
tel. +39 339 5613293
massimiliano.rosati.n@gmail.com
Elias Colasante
Montebello di Bertona (Pe)
Via Campo delle Piane, 15
tel. +39 377 1542782
eliascolasante@virgilio.it
Filippo Della Rovere
Montebello di Bertona (Pe)
Via Ducale,12
Tel. +39 339 5281289
filderover@gmail.com
Emanuele Falerni
Barisciano (Aq)
Via Paganica, 6
tel. +39 327 7864032
azienda.falerni@gmail.com
Nadja Ettorre
Teramo (Te)
Viale Europa, 65
Tel. +39 333 3862256
nadja.ettorre@libero.it
Luciana Fazi
Acquasanta Terme (Ap)
Via Bonamici, 12
tel. +39 0736 802317 – 339 7557846
affarigenerali@comune.acquasantaterme.ap.it
Antonello Angelini
Paganica – L'Aquila
Via Luigi Biordi 3 f
tel. +39 349 3451746
Ewa Sewera
Valle Castellana (Te)
Frazione Macchia Da Sole
tel. +39 0861 930403 - 340 9308013
eva.domenico@gmail.com
Alessandro Perotti
Amatrice (Ri)
Frazione S. Lorenzo
tel. +39 0746 88078 – 334 9308582
info@agricolaperotti.it
Monica Del Vecchio
Teramo (Te)
Via D'Ortenzio
tel. +39 392 9235147 – 347 7344186
costaseraf@tiscali.it
Andrea Marsili
Torre de Passeri (Pe)
Via Martiri della Resistenza, 8
tel. +39 085 8884010 – 340 2829348
andreamarsili80@hotmail.it
Angelo Fiordigigli
Cooperativa ACF
Assergi (Aq)
tel. +39 348 4135270
afiordigigli@coopacf.it
Enrico Di Carmine
Pro-Loco Pagliari
Teramo (Te)
Via della Resistenza, 60
tel. +39 347 7500712
Leonardo Porfirio
Cese di Preturo (Aq)
Via Cesanuova, 11
tel. +39 348 2560698
ivizidelre@gmail.com
Giuseppe Moro
Paganica - L'Aquila
Via delle Aie, 4
tel. +39 338 1693340
saraa1978@virgilio.it
Domenico Gianni
Frazione Sommati, 297
Amatrice (Ri)
tel. +39 338 4323084
Elsa Romualdi
Rocca S. Maria (Te)
Frazione Belvedere, 8
tel. +39 0861 247862 – 338 1619958
elsa.romualdi.bifq@alice.it
Matteo Griguoli
Paganica - L'Aquila
Via Arco dei Giusti
tel. +39 338 7398037
griguolimatteo@yahoo.it
Rossella Anzuini
Montereale (Aq)
Ville di Fano
tel. +39 0862 903511 – 346 2222333
Claudio Valentini
Amatrice (Ri)
Frazione Collepagliuca
tel. +39 0746 826057 – 338 6349052
Nazareno Sacchi
Montereale (Aq)
Colle Cavallari - Via Picente
tel. +39 335 5325410
info@leprata.eu
Marina Moresi
Amatrice (Ri)
Frazione Cornillo Nuovo 46
tel. +39 0746 825017 - 347 0621116
La Civetta
Montorio al Vomano (Te)
Via dei Mulini, 29
tel. +39 348 5658110
Filomena Di Cesare
Valle Castellana (Te)
Piano Maggiore
tel. +39 0861 93328
340 2712710
Rina Ciccocelli
Nepezzano (Te)
Via Fioravanti 2
tel. +39 338 4756404
Massimiliano D’Incecco
Teramo
Via Pilotti
tel. +39 349 7322380
Dario Salvatori
L’Aquila
Via dei Colatoi 2, 11
tel. +39 340 6936332
dsalvatori@ymail.com
Gaspare Rendina
Accumoli (Ri)
Via Salaria
Loc. San Pancrazio, 2
tel. +39 333 6133358
rendina.eug@gmail.com
Luca Schillaci
tel. +39 0862 6052227
lucaschillaci@gransassolagapark.it
Producers’ Presidium coordinator
Filiberto Cioti
tel. +39 339 6276273
aziendaagricolacioti@libero.it
