Best Italian Fruits (types and products) Types
Lemons from the Amalfi coast have been cultivated in the province of Salerno for centuries, growing in terraced groves which are stretched up the hillsides of every village in the area, spreading the intoxicating fragrance of citrus blossoms and dotting the beautiful Amalfi landscapes with green and yellow.
Prized for their low acidity and delicate flavor, Amalfi lemons are so sweet you can eat them whole! When they're not enjoyed fresh, traditionally cut into slices sprinkled with salt, mint leaves and drizzled with some vinegar, these aromatic fruits are used for making jams, preserves, lemon honey, sorbettos and various desserts.
Primitivo is an Italian grape variety with quite interesting origins. Research conducted in 1994 proved that the grape is identical to Californian Zinfandel, while it was later discovered that both grapes originated from an old and obscure Croatian grape Crljenak Kaštelanski.
Despite the same lineage, these grapes are influenced by their terroir, and they can slightly differ in character. In Italy, Primitivo is mostly cultivated in Apulia, where it is used in the appellation Primitivo di Manduria. Primitivo is a somewhat rustic wine, dark, intense, and rich in tannins that tend to mellow with age.
VARIATIONS OF Primitivo
Also known as Limone di Massa Lubrense or Massese, named after a small community of villages settled at the tip of the Sorrentine Peninsula, these fragrant lemons are derived from the local ecotype Ovale di Sorrento and grown in the province of Naples since the Renaissance.
The first lemon trees were planted by the Jesuits in the 18th century, and one of the very first cultivars named Gesù still exists today in the Guarazzanno Basin, between Sorrento and Massa Lubrense. Due to a special cultivation technique, Limone di Sorrento can bear fruit up to five times a year, which makes this variety available year round.
Amarena is a unique type of cherry originating from Bologna in Italy. It was developed by Gennaro Fabbri. The cherries have a dark, almost black color, while the texture of the flesh is tender and firm. The flavor is best described as sour, acidic, and sweet.
These cherries are used in many ways – as a topping for gelato, in fruit salads, cocktails, cakes, tarts, pies, pastries, and chilled drinks. Amarena is also often transformed into a sweet and sour cherry syrup.
Grown in the fertile Magazzolo River basin south-west of the Sicilian Sicani Mountains, namely within the provinces of Agrigento and Palermo, Pescabivona refers to peaches of four different varieties: Bianca, Murtiddara or Primizia Bianca, Agostina and Settembrina.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of the velvety Pescabivona is that even the late-ripening varieties, harvested at the beginning of autumn, maintain the qualities of summer peaches, preserving the remarkable consistency and sweetness of their flesh.
Passata di pomodoro (tomato passata) is an uncooked Italian sauce made from ripe, juicy tomatoes. It is believed it originated in southern Italy (Sicily or Campania are the most likely place of origin) as a way to preserve the abundance of tomatoes during the summer months.
To make passata di pomodoro, tomatoes are first blanched to remove the skin and seeds. The flesh is then pureed into a chunky sauce that boasts a natural sweetness and tanginess. Finally, the sauce is strained to achieve a smooth consistency, and can be used immediately or preserved in jars or cans.
Nero d’Avola is an indigenous Sicilian red grape, whose name, meaning the black of Avola, refers to its distinctive dark color. For most of the 20th century, Nero d'Avola was used as a blending grape, but in the 1990s winemakers started making high-quality, bold varietal wines.
Nero d’Avola wines are typically produced as dense and dark, with flavors reminiscent of black fruit and chocolate, or as young and fresh wines that are characterized by cherry and herbal notes. They are high in tannins and pair well with rich meat dishes, hearty stews, and barbecued meat.
Commonly known as 'The blood orange of Sicily', Arancia Rossa di Sicilia is grown in the fertile lands spread out below the Mount Etna volcano. During ripening, due to a significant diurnal temperature variation in the area, the oranges produce high levels of crimson colored pigments called anthocyanins which give this orange its distinctive color.
Sicilian red oranges are available in three different varieties: Tarocco, Moro, and Sanguinello. Even though Sicilian red oranges are characterized by their acidic fruitiness and may be quite tart, studies have proven that the consumption of blood oranges protects our DNA from oxidative damage and may reduce the risk of cardio vascular diseases.
Sangiovese is a red grape variety indigenous to Italy that is predominantly grown in Tuscany, but also in other central and southern regions, from Romagna down to Lazio, Campania, and Sicily. It is best known as the main grape used in Chianti or Vino Nobile di Montepulciano and as the only grape in the prestigious Brunello di Montalcino.
Though its flavor profile may be influenced by the terroir, Sangiovese based wines are rich in tannins and high in acidity, while their flavor is savory, and may range from rustic to fruity, with typical notes of cherries, dark stone fruit, spices, tobacco, and dry herbs.
THE BEST Sangiovese Wine Varieties
Barbera is the most common grape in Piedmont and the third most-planted grape in the country. It is used in varietals and blends. Nowadays, it is considered to have great potential to produce excellent quality wines, although it was once considered as a grape designated for rustic, everyday wine.
Dark Barbera-based wines are typically low in tannins and high in acidity. The flavors usually include a combination of raspberries, blackberries, cherries, and strawberries, sometimes with a hint of spices. Oak-aging will typically improve the tannin structure in Barbera wines.
Best Italian Fruits (types and products) Producers
Casa Montalbano is a family-run business based in Sambuca di Sicilia, Sicily, established in 1998 by Giuseppe Salvatore Montalbano, his wife Maria Montana, and their children. The company is known for processing and preserving agricultural products, focusing on maintaining the high quality of traditional Sicilian foods such as sauces, pestos, jams, and preserves.
Their products are distinguished by the use of fresh, local raw materials and a blend of traditional recipes with innovative production techniques. In 2009, Casa Montalbano expanded with a new production facility on the shores of Lago Arancio, which marked a significant step in their growth and ability to meet global market demands.
BEST Casa Montalbano Preserved Vegetables
Best Italian Fruits (types and products)
The Salsa Pronta di Pomodoro Siciliano from Casa Montalbano is a ready-to-use tomato sauce that encapsulates the rich flavors of Sicilian cuisine. This sauce is made with 91% Sicilian tomatoes, combined with ingredients like onion, extra virgin olive oil (3%), basil, garlic, salt, and sugar.
It's notable for its commitment to natural quality, containing no added colorants or preservatives. Casa Montalbano, located in Sambuca di Sicilia, prides itself on using high-quality, locally sourced ingredients to create sauces that reflect traditional Sicilian cooking.
TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. For the “Top 100 Italian Fruits (Types and Products)” list until March 22, 2025, 1,007 ratings were recorded, of which 675 were recognized by the system as legitimate. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.