Purple carrot of Tiggiano

PAT - Traditional Agricultural Food Product
Place of Origin
Tiggiano (Lecce)
The purple carrot of Tiggiano is also known as Pestanaca or Carrot of Saint Ippazio, from the patron saint of the city of Tiggiano, Ippazio.
The qualities of this carrot were already known in ancient times, and even today it is still much sought after.
It is a purple carrot with yellow stripes, medium large in size, elongated and irregular in shape. It is crunchy, juicy and very fragrant.
It is a carrot of excellent qualities but of short duration. In fact, after 2-3 days the product shrivels and loses turgidity, for this reason it must be consumed in a day or two.
Tiggiano carrot needs particular rich soils with high phosphate content.
It is cultivated in July, fertilized with mature manure from the previous crop and irrigated twice a day.
Pick up must be done by hand to avoid damaging the product.
This carrot is used in various local recipes, such as in "Ravioli with Pestanaca", Pestanaca cake, or in yogurts and liqueurs.
In mid January the town of Tiggiano helds the Festival of Pestanaca.
Typical vegetables of Puglia
- Artichoke of Brindisi (IGP)
- Batata of agro leccese (PAT)
- Beans of the Southern Daunia Mountains (PAT)
- Capers of the Gargano (PAT)
- Carrot of Polignano (PAT)
- Carrot of Zapponeta (PAT)
- Farinella di Putignano (PAT)
- Fava di Carpino (PAT)
- Fava di Zollino (PAT)
- Finocchio marino (PAT)
- Lampascioni (PAT)
- Meloncella (PAT)
- New potato Sieglinde of Galatina (DOP)
- Onion of Acquaviva delle Fonti (PAT)
- Onion of Zapponeta (PAT)
- Pisello riccio di Sannicola (PAT)
- Pomodori Regina of Torre Canne (PAT)
- Pomodoro da serbo giallo (PAT)
- Pomodoro Fiaschetto (PAT)
- Potato of Zapponeta (PAT)
- Purple carrot of Tiggiano (PAT)
- Sun dried courgettes (PAT)