Peperone di Pontecorvo DOPis a fruit vegetable, in a fresh state, obtained from the cultivation of the local Cornetto di Pontecorvo ecotype of the Capsicum annum L.
Its origins date back to 1830, when the principality of Pontecorvo fell under the dominion of the Holy See, the birth of the Agricultural Consortium in May 1889 has definitively given an effective contribution to the cultivation of peppers which in the following years has significantly increased to become a of the main resources of the area.
The soils on which the Pontecorvo Pepper is grown are very fertile, particularly rich in nutritional elements and allow, in combination with the rainfall characteristics of the geographical area, the cultivation of a product with a high flavor.
Natural factors are associated with the contribution offered by the work of local operators who have been able to select the best local berries year after year, producing young seedlings in carefully prepared seedbeds and choosing the most suitable crop care for them so as to enhance the qualities of the ecotype.
With its characteristic elongated, trilobed and pointed shape that has earned it the name of "cornetto", and is red in color, its high flavor and its better digestibility make it unique.
In the Ciociara cuisine it is used as a food reserve, in oil, or whole dipped in vinegar. In mid-September in Pontecorvo the traditional pepper festival is held, a moment in which to share the flavor of an excellent fruit when eaten fresh, in salads, in pinzimonio, in sweet and sour, but also cooked, prepared in various ways, used to flavor many gastronomic preparations or as a side dish for main courses. Given the intense flavor of the vegetable, it is good to choose the combination with soft wines that are equally complex from a gustatory point of view.
In Ciociaria a typical dish with which to use the Peperone di Pontecorvo DOP is: “Sweet and sour peppers served on toasted bread” and goes well with a soft, savory white wine, with floral and fruity notes.