We were SO thrilled to read about La Nicchia in Gambero Rosso! They sang the praises of our caper producer, calling Gabriele Lasagni and his company: “The azienda in Pantelleria heroically cultivating capers (even at night).” (link in Italian)
Gabriele and his team certainly are heroes. They’re constantly innovating to bring to the world the very best their caper plants have to offer. All the while, they confront challenges old and new on the remote island they call home. Founded in 1949, La Nicchia is now practically synonymous with Pantelleria capers. Gambero Rosso reports:
“La Nicchia, the historic caper producer on Pantelleria, handles the full supply chain of the island’s famous agricultural product, from the field to the jar. Even working at night, they make use of the entire plant: the capers themselves, the caperberries, the leaves, and even the sprouts.”
By adding value to the caper plant from all perspectives, they are building the future of the caper plant. In fact, that’s La Nicchia’s slogan: “siamo costruendo il futuro del cappero”. Where does the future of the caper plant lie? According to Gambero Rosso, it just might be in the leaves.
Growing Capers on Pantelleria
La Nicchia operates in a notoriously harsh environment. We’re talking about a rocky, volcanic island battered by the wind and sea, adrift between Tunisia and Sicily. Production on Pantelleria is difficult by definition! Gabriele doesn’t sugar-coat it:
“Producing in Pantelleria is very complicated […] in the caper groves you must work exclusively by hand, there is no water, and the wind tears everything up so you can’t have greenhouses. We are at the mercy of nature and climatic events.”
However, it’s in these harsh conditions caper plants thrive and produce the most incredibly aromatic caper buds. Just listen to how Gambero Rosso describes them:
“tiny and compact with a wonderful, vegetal, salty scent reminiscent of the sea, of sun-warmed rocks sculpted by wind and salt, and of bay leaves and rosemary.”
The caperberries are equally aromatic, offering a different textural experience:
“The fruit of the caper born after the flower has bloomed, an elongated, firm and fleshy berry that makes for great finger food”
Now only the windswept Pantelleria could infuse such incredible characteristics into the caper plant!
Looking towards the future of capers
Climate change has a major impact on the island’s fragile ecosystems. Shifting weather patterns mean that the caper plants haven’t been able to complete their production phases as per usual. The 2023 caper harvest was down 42% from the previous year, and things aren’t looking good for 2024. Gabriele says:
“Due to the unpredictable changes of the climate, the flowers of the caper plant struggle and can’t produce a bud. On the other hand, the leaves grow fleshy and lush.”
While they aren’t traditional in Pantelleria, caper leaves just might represent the future for La Nicchia and the island they call home. Fast becoming a chef-favorite, caper leaves are a fantastic ingredient to have in your kitchen:
“It is an excellent condiment- explains the owner of La Nicchia- a complete product: flavor, consistency, geometry”
Visually stunning with a subtle caper flavor and a crunchy texture, we love using caper leaves in all kinds of dishes, from insalata to bruschetta allo sgombro. Here’s what Gabriele has to say:
“Those in extra virgin olive oil are ideal for seasoning and garnishing dishes, or for frying in batter.”
We love fried caper leaves too! And we’re forever grateful to producers like Gabriele who are pushing boundaries and taking risks in the name of Italian gastronomy and heritage. Grazie to Gambero Rosso for telling their story!