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 about 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
La Baracca
di Valerio Rotilio
Strada Vicinale di Bazzano, 11 F
L’Aquila (Aq)
Tel. +39 329 0229008
valeriorotilio81@icloud.com
Filiberto Cioti
Via Armando Diaz, 27
Frazione Paterno di Campli
Campli (Te)
Tel. +39 339 6276273
aziendaagricolacioti@libero.it
Colibrì
di Oscar Costantini
Frazione Villafranca, 1
Valle Castellana (Te)
Tel. +39 346 1592396
o.costantinioscar@gmail.com
Il Convolvolo
di Francesca D’anastasio
Via della Madonna, 56
Villa Santa Lucia D’Abruzzi (Aq)
Tel. +39 339 5760035
baccablurelax@gmail.com
Monica del Vecchio
Frazione Poggio Valle, 3
Torricella Sicura (Te)
Tel. +39 392 9235147
costaseraf@tiscali.it
Emanuele Falerni
Via Paganica, 6
San Gregorio
Paganica (Aq)
Tel. +39 327 7864032
azienda.falerni@gmail.com
Daniele Giungi
Frazione Cornelle di Sopra
Amatrice (Ri)
Tel. +39 331 4410344
danielegiungi18@gmail.com
Andrea Marsili
Via Martiri della Resistenza, 8
Torre De’ Passeri (Pe)
Tel. +39 340 2829348
andreamarsili80@hotmail.it
Marco Matergia
Via Provinciale, 145
Barisciano (Aq)
Tel. +39 331 2853075
aziendamatergia@gmail.com
Filomena Moretti
Via Rio Fucino, 1
Campotosto (Aq)
Tel. +39 0862 900227
filomena.moretti@tiscali.it
Alessandro Perotti
Frazione San Lorenzo
Amatrice (Ri)
Tel. +39 334 9308582
alesandro.perotti@hotmail.it
La Piccola Fattoria Sull’Aterno
Gino Carpente
Via delle Nocelle, 13
L’Aquila (Aq)
Tel. +39 347 9331664
info@lapiccolafattoriasullaterno.it
www.lapiccolafattoriasullaterno.it
Eugenio Rendina
Via Salaria, 2
Località San Pancrazio
Accumoli (Ri)
Tel. +39 333 6133358
rendina.eug@gmail.com
La Rifiorita
di Nadja Ettorre
Viale Europa, 65
Teramo (Te)
Tel. +39 333 3862256
nadja.ettorre@libero.it
Elsa Romualdi
Frazione Belvedere, 8
Rocca Santa Maria (Te)
Tel. +39 338 1619958
elsa.romualdi.bifq@alice.it
Massimiliano Rosati
Frazione Nommisci, 151
Amatrice (Ri)
Tel. +39 339 5613293
massimiliano.rosati.n@gmail.com
Nazareno Sacchi
Via Picente
Colle Cavallari
Montereale (Aq)
Tel. +39 335 5325410
info@leprata.eu
Francesco Germano Tassoni
Frazione Poggio Valle, 18
Torricella Sicura (Te)
Tel. +39 338 7570025
info@francescotassoni.it
Tre Marie
Via Cittaducale, 17
L’Aquila (Aq)
Tel. +39 335 1599805
info@agricolatremarie.com
Luca Schillaci
Tel. +39 347 1442819
lucaschillo@yahoo.it
Producers’ Presidium coordinator
Filiberto Cioti
Tel. +39 339 6276273
aziendaagricolacioti@libero.it
