The Madernassa Pear is being cultivated in the zones of Alba, Cuneo and in Val Grana since the end of the last century.
Its origin can be traced back in a plot of land belonging to the Cascina (Farm-house) Gavello in Borgata (Hamlet) Madernassa, at that time included in the Comune of Guarene and situated half-way on an eastward hill between the towns of Guarene and Castagnito. The mother plant dates back to about 1784; at the beginning, this variety was known as Gavello but, later, it was named Madernassa. Its diffusion has been growing for the last 30 years because of the continuous demand from abroad, above all from England. The zone where this cultivation is more intense is on the left of the river Tanaro on the hills of the towns of Canale, Castagnito, Guarene; the production is about 5000 quintals for 70 "giornate" (in Piemonte a land unit of measurement which corresponds to about 3810 m2, approximately a plot of land that can be ploughed by a couple of oxen in one day) and involves more that 30 producers. In the whole zone of Cuneo this kind of pear can be often cultivated together with the vine or in quite wide orchards with only pear trees. The cultivation has spread also outside the province and plots of land with Madernassa Pear trees can be found in the Canavese and in Emilia.
Rusticity and fertility are the main characteristics of this fruit. It is particularly suited to be cooked for its peculiar taste and for its rich quantity of sugar.
The well-known form of the pear is slightly flattened at the extremities and its size is medium. The colour of the skin is greenish with reddish or grey-brown shades according to the ground where it is cultivated; the pulp is compact.
The harvest usually starts at the beginning of October and finishes at the end of the month.
This fruit can be well and easily preserved.
Even today, as once, many housewives bake Madernassa pears in their "putagè" (ovens stoked with wood).
The documents to obtain the D.O.P. ("Denominazione di origine protetta", Denomination of protected origin) are being prepared. This recognition suggests a very old tradition and highlights the deep identity between the product and its origin zone.
Baked pears:
Bake the pears at the temperature of 180/200° for about 40 minutes (the time depends on the pears size: bigger they are, longer the baking time will be). Put the pears on a dish and spread them with icing sugar or - for the more gluttonous - with black chocolate. Serve cool (if they were hot, they could have ... some unwelcomed consequences!)
Pears with wine:
In a saucepan boil pears for about 30 minutes in red wine (Barbera is suggested) or white (Arneis), adding spice (cinnamon and cloves), and serve them cold. Do not throw the left syrup away: it can be used again and again; it will be tastier and tastier.
Madernassa Pears pudding:
Ingredients:
3 kg Madernassa Pears
4 eggs
1,5 hg. crumbled "amaretti" (special biscuits - macaroons)
1 hg chocolate powder
1 spoon cocoa-powder
4 spoons sugar
1 lemon
1 spoon rhum
butter
Bake the whole pears in the oven and strain them without the core.
Place the pulp in a bowl and add eggs, amaretti, chocolate powder with cocoa, sugar, the grated lemon rind and rhum.
Mix all the ingredients and pour the mixture into a baking pan, level it and add butter flakes.
Bake in the oven (180°) for 50 minutes until the edges of the pudding come off from the inside of the pan.
Madernassa Pears pie:
Ingredients:
1 kg flour
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
500 hg sugar
500 hg butter
250 hg "polenta" flour (from maize)
Mix sugar, eggs, butter and flour.
Cook the pears slices in wine according to the traditional recipe. Drain them and, when they are dry, put them in a buttered mould with the mixture.
Bake in the oven (250°) for 30 minutes.
Serve cool.
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