Piquillo pepper from Lodosa

The pepper is native to America, it was introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus when he returned from his first voyage. There were many different varieties of peppers that were developed later, specifically in Spain, one of them being the » piquillo «.

The Lodosa Piquillo Pepper, with Protected Designation of Origin DOP, is a vegetable that belongs, as its name indicates, to the “piquillo” variety, from the species Capsicum annuum, L.

The bright red fruit is triangular in shape with 2 or 3 locules (cavities) and an acute apex. Medium in size, approximately 8-10 cm long and 4-5 cm. in diameter, with a firm and hard skin, its meat is fine, but with a turgid texture, its flavor is sweet without being acidic, although a certain roasted aftertaste is present.

Planting, harvesting and marketing of Lodosa Piquillo Peppers

In a previous article, reference is made to the Technical report for the cultivation of peppers, where very useful information is provided for the cultivation of this plant.

In this case, the geographical area where they are grown belongs to the land located in eight municipalities in the Comunidad Foral de Navarra, located in the “ Ribera Baja ”: Lodosa, Mendavia, Andosilla, Azagra, Carear, Lerín, San Adrián and Sartaguda.

Sowing begins in March through seedbeds, and it will not be until the end of May when it is transplanted to field soil.

Its harvesting is completely manual, and it is carried out in the autumn, throughout the months of September to November, which is when the peppers are having the optimum degree of maturity. This collection is done every ten or fifteen days.

To go to the next process, those that meet the requirements to be able to carry the Protected Designation of Origin certification are selected and those that are broken, damaged or defective are set aside. Only the “ Extra ” and “ Primera ” categories are marketed for canned human consumption.

The Lodosa Piquillo Peppers are roasted directly over the flame without ever having contact with water, then they are peeled, cored and de-seeded by hand in a completely traditional way. When this process has finished, they are packaged whole, adding only the juice of the peppers as a covering liquid.

Properties of Piquillo Pepper from Lodosa

Piquillo Peppers are very low in calories, since more than 90% are water, and they do not contain fat, so they are suitable for those who are following a diet.

They are rich in vitamin A and C. They contain minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron and calcium. They have a high fiber content. Carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene are also present, so having an antioxidant function favors the elimination of free radicals, so harmful to health.

Simple and quick recipes with Piquillo de Lodosa peppers

There are many simple and quick recipes that you can make with Piquillo de Lodosa peppers. Its pleasant flavor does not need more than a few drops of oil and salt to enjoy them. Even so, the list of recipes that can be made with them is quite long.

Candied peppers, caramelized, stuffed with cod, peppers stuffed with prawns, eggs stuffed with piquillo peppers, as an ingredient in pasta salads, vegetable salads, accompanying meat and fish, pizzas, croquettes, sauces… a delight for the most demanding palates.