Piretto

The Piretto cidra may owe its name to the morphology of its fruits, which are elongated and resemble an ancient vessel. This designation is used for different cultivars of cidra with a similar fruit morphology, although they vary greatly in size. The Piretto are highly valued in the region of Catania (Italy).

The tree is moderately vigorous. The fruits are elongated and tend to have a more or less pointed apical protuberance. They are small to medium-sized fruits among citrons, although there are cultivars with large fruits. Its bark can be quite rough, but variability can also be detected among the cultivars. The albedo is edible, firm, sweet, and crunchy, offering a good bite. Depending on the cultivar, the thickness of the albedo varies, and it can be very thick. The pulp is moderately juicy, aromatic, and less acidic than in lemons or other citrons.

The albedo-pulp combination is interesting in this cider. It is consumed fresh, in salads, or as a side dish. In Catania, the cultivars with smaller fruits are eaten fresh, split in half and spread with salt.