As you climb towards the Monti Picentini, behind Salerno, the landscape changes: the hills are covered with neat hazel groves, which give shade in summer and fill with nuts at the end of the season. We are in Giffoni Valle Piana, home of the Giffoni IGP hazelnut. Here is why it is considered one of the finest in Italy.
The Tonda di Giffoni
The Giffoni hazelnut comes from the Tonda di Giffoni variety, which the product specification names as the main variety; other varieties are allowed only in small quantities, up to 10%, to aid pollination. The nut is roughly spherical, with a thin shell and a kernel with white, firm and aromatic flesh.
The quality most prized by the confectionery industry is its ease of peeling: after roasting, the skin around the kernel comes away very easily, for at least 85%. This is why the Tonda di Giffoni is much sought after by pastry chefs and gelato makers, and by producers of spreads and torrone.
The Protected Geographical Indication
The Giffoni hazelnut was awarded IGP status under European regulation EC No 2325 of 1997. The production area covers the entire territory of several municipalities in the Picentini, such as Giffoni Valle Piana, Giffoni Sei Casali, San Cipriano Picentino, Fisciano, Calvanico, Castiglione del Genovesi and Montecorvino Rovella, and part of the territory of other nearby towns, including Baronissi, Olevano sul Tusciano and Acerno.
The specification also sets minimum characteristics for the product: an in-shell hazelnut size of no less than 18 millimetres and a shelling yield of at least 43%.
How to enjoy it
We tasted it simply roasted, and the aroma it releases is hard to forget. But the Giffoni hazelnut is also at its best in desserts: cakes, biscuits, brittle and gelato. We suggest buying it shelled and roasted from local producers and storing it in a cool, dry place, away from light.
Giffoni, not just hazelnuts
The name Giffoni Valle Piana is also famous around the world for the Giffoni Film Festival, founded in 1971 by Claudio Gubitosi: a film festival for young people where the jurors are children and teenagers themselves. Combining a visit to the town with a walk through the hazel groves is a great way to get to know this corner of the province.
Nearby
The Monti Picentini are a paradise for nature lovers: for a full picture, start with our guide Salerno and its surroundings and read The Picentini oases: Monte Polveracchio and Valle della Caccia. Heading down towards the coast, The National Archaeological Museum of Pontecagnano awaits you, and to discover the area's other products there is What to eat in Salerno.
Top photo (Giffoni Valle Piana): Geofix, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
