The introduction in Cilento area of the fig seems to refer to Greek colonists around 6th century before Christ. In Roman eve Catone and Varrone told that the dried figs were commonly used in Cilento as the food basis for craftmen employed in country works. The White Fig from Cilento DOP has gone evolving gradually, from a poor meal to precious food to be eaten in the Christmas eve. The growing of figs in Cilento even nowdays represents an economic resource rather relevant. Nowadays, by over the 25% of National production, Campania is the Italian Region that is proud of the greater production of figs. The Protected Geographical Denomination (DOP) Fico BIanco del Cilento (White Fig from Cilento) refers to the dried product of the kind "Dottato", a precious kind of fig diffused in the whole Southern Italy. Specifically the protected product is the "White from Cilento" that comes from a specific echotype of the kind Dottato that has gone selecting itself and spreading in Cilento during the centuries. The "White Fig from Cilento" DOP's name is due to the uniform pale yellow colour of the skin of dried products, and becomes brown in those fruits that have been cooked in the oven. The pulp has a pasty consistence, with a very sweet taste and with an amber yellow colour. They are packed as natural as they are in different forms. THe figs from Cilento are sold even in the ancient way, that is placed random in nests made of vegetal matter and can reach even the weight of 20 kilos. A traditional preparation yet in use is that one provides the figs in ribs, that is stubbed by two parallel ribs of wood as to form some spatulas or "mustaccioli". THe White Fig from Cilento DOP is even sold as filled in with almonds, walnuts, Hazelnuts, wild fennel seeds, citrus skins or covered with chocolate in order to get the offer range wider, above all in the Christmas eve.The dried and oven cooked figs are more and more wanted, above all those filled in. The skinless figs are precious but rarer and rarer, with their very light colour turning to pure white and with a tasty flavour. The features of the products are due to the environment of growing and handling of fruits besides of the inner qualities of Dottato kind. In fact the milding action of the sea and the barrier of Appennini Chain placed to protect from cold winter flows, along with the good fertility of soil and a suitable regime of rains represent the ideal conditions for the production of figs from Cilento. Moreover is to be put in evidence that, besides growing, all the driying phases and working of product occur as a whole in the geographical area of production, by farm and rural buildings in a harmonic process of interaction between product, man and environment.
The production area of WHite Fig from Cilento Dop includes 68 communes placed southbound form Salerno, from the coast hills of Agropoli up to Bussento and in great part included in the area of National Park from Cilento and Diano Wall.
