Capers of Salento: A Treasure of the Territory
The Spread of Salento Capers
If you've had the chance to spend some days in Salento, you surely noticed the numerous caper plants growing naturally almost everywhere. On the roadside, at the corners of houses, in the countryside, the caper plant is a weed and can settle almost anywhere, provided it finds the right climate and spot. Planting the caper is no easy task!
The Processing of Fresh Capers
Our fresh capers are delivered to our company by local farmers. Here, we take care of washing them, removing the stalks, and letting them mature under salt for about 3 months. At this point, we dry them from their vegetation water and jar them with additional sea salt. The variety of caper we offer is the Salento Caper, which is really tasty and versatile. Use it for your pizzaiola pasta, on pizza, in potato salads, in meatballs or rolls. The caper is an irresistible fruit, a bit like chili!
Tradition and History of Puglian Capers
Capers are typical of the Salento landscape and the peasant tradition. Throughout the 20th century, early in the morning, whole families would head to the fields to pick capers one by one from the low bushy plants. In the 1970s, Racale was among the leading towns in the production of capers.
Production and Future of Capers
Today, unfortunately, fewer and fewer farmers deliver capers to our farm. When they arrive here, the capers are washed, de-stalked, and matured under salt for 3-4 months. They are then dried of excess water and mixed with dry sea salt from the Margherita di Savoia salt pans, then jarred naturally. We are committed to planting new plants in our area and promoting capers nationally and internationally. This processing can be a lever against the crisis for our territory.
Versatile Uses of Capers
The caper is a fragrant and unique fruit. It can be paired with green or potato salads, fish, meat stewed with white wine, pizzaiola pasta. We use them to prepare "pittule" (fried dough bites) with tomatoes, capers, and anchovies.
Additionally, Salento capers are highly appreciated in the market. The price of capers varies depending on the quality and processing method, with capers in salt being one of the most requested variants. If you are looking for natural capers or capers in salt, the price per kg can vary, but the quality remains high. We are proud to offer Puglian capers and capers from Lecce, renowned for their unique flavor and versatility in the kitchen.
