In more and more Italian regions we are witnessing a radical change in crops, with interesting experiments. From Southern Italy, Calabria and Sicily, products such as avocados and some rare experiments such as pineapple arrive. In Piedmont, and exactly in the Lower Grana Valley, sweet batata has been cultivated for about 10 years
The president of the Aglio di Caraglio consortium Lucio Alciati told us how the idea of the cultivation of the batata, originating in Central and South America, was born in the Piedmont area.
Why the batata
At the base of everything there is the awareness of having to diversify agriculture following the emerging needs of consumers, increasingly sensitive to physical well-being, but also to sustainability, with the search for products with low environmental impact, and therefore the need to avoid long journeys from production sites; and then the opportunity to communicate vis-à-vis with producers and provide the right economic support to local companies. In practice, the choice to be glocal.
The research led to the batata because many health-giving qualities are recognized (an Italian study by the CNR of Padua exists), in which the presence of a molecule called Cajapo has been detected, which seems to be able to control basal blood sugar. It is also rich in flavonoids and anthocyanins and has a great antioxidant and antiaging power. Not everyone knows, then, that it is a rizotubero and which is very versatile in the kitchen: the batata can be used both for savory recipes (like potatoes, but more dietetic), and sweet. In addition, it does not contain the toxic Solanine present in potatoes, so it can be eaten raw and can also be stored in a bright room without the risk of greening classic potatoes.
From a historical research, it was found that attempts to cultivate the batata had already been made at the beginning of the twentieth century, at the Turin Botanical Garden. But the more extensive and easier cultivation of the potato did not make the batata take off.
This brings us to 2010, in Caraglio, with the first attempts to cultivate the batata made to understand its environmental adaptation and encounter any difficulties.
The sweet batata of Caraglio
The extremely positive peculiarity of the sweet batata di Caraglio is that it is less sweet than the batata grown in the countries of origin, as well as having a more sweet and delicate taste, due to the characteristics of the territory located at the foot of the Alps. it is expressed very well by savoring it raw (Lucio Alciati recommends trying the julienne-style batata di Caraglio, seasoned with lemon juice, a pinch of salt and extra virgin olive oil).
In 2017, some Caragliese farmers were involved to verify the different territorial situations, which were found suitable for cultivation.
From there the project was born Batata Good: the sweet batata of Caraglio for the development, promotion and enhancement of the cultivation of batata in the mild lands of the lower Valle Grana which, to date, has nine producers, three of which are organic (the other six follow the same method, although not certified ).
The growers, in addition to producing the batata, have also created captivating compotes with vanilla and cinnamon, tasty vacuum-packed preparations for soups, pastes, minestrone, cakes. A small oven produces fragrant biscuits with Caraglio's sweet batata, an agripanetteria prepares delicious croissants filled with batata compote. A Facebook page dedicated to Batata Good and transformation trials will soon be launched with the ITS Agroalimentare Piemonte Foundation.
The sale takes place through shops, farmers markets and sector events. Local consumers have given a positive response to this product and its derivatives and are studying gastronomic events related to the culinary promotion of batata di Caraglio, throughout 2020. The only regret is the fact that many local chefs do not know the batata and its multiple features, its versatility in the kitchen.
A small list of activities that use and transform the sweet batata of Caraglio
Agri panetteria Valgrana (Daniele Giorgis and Franzi Lucia) typical baked products with historic Valle flour; croissants filled with batata compote.
The Atelier de Tartes; Mondovì district, in Cuneo; batata pie.
Milone Bakery Pastry; Caraglio; batata biscuits.
Lerda Diego farm; Caraglio; prepared for vacuum-packed soups with batate, batata cake, batata jelly, vanilla batata compote.
Bio Ceaglio Giuliana farm in Serra Debora; Bernezzo; organic cinnamon batata compote.
Gelapajo restaurant in Vallera; Caraglio; produces a delicate ice cream with Caraglio batata.
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