Named after La Sila, a mountainous plateau located in Calabria, Patata della Sila refers to potatoes of the Agria, Ditta, Marabel, Nicola, Majestic and Desirèe varieties, grown within the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro.
The composition of the fertile soil of the Sila plateau together with favorable climate conditions result in high-quality tubers with an extremely long shelf-life. Sila potatoes are easily distinguished by appearance: Agria, Ditta, Marabel and Nicola varieties have yellow skin and flesh; Majestic has yellow skin and white flesh, whereas the Desirèe variety has maroon red skin and yellow flesh. Thanks to the high content of dry substance, Agria is ideal for frying, while Desirèe is ideal for making gnocchi, and Ditta potatoes are most often used for roasting and boiling.
The Majestic variety is excellent for making mashed potatoes, while Nicola is best steamed or oven-baked.
