Papapura Potatoes
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Papapura potatoes are small to medium in size and are oblong and elongated with a somewhat uniform shape. The skin is smooth and golden yellow with visible dark brown speckling and a few, shallow eyes strewn across the surface. The flesh is rich yellow to gold and is firm, moist, and dense. When cooked, Papapura potatoes have a smooth and creamy texture similar to sweet potatoes and have a mild, buttery flavor.
Seasons/Availability
Papapura potatoes are available in the spring and summer.
Current Facts
Papapura potatoes, botanically classified as Solanum tuberosum ‘Papapura,’ are a new variety of fingerling potatoes from the Netherlands that were selected for their taste and resistance to disease. Papapura potatoes are extremely rare and are only found in limited supply.
Nutritional Value
Papapura potatoes are a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, and carotenoids, a type of antioxidant.
Applications
Papapura potatoes are best suited for cooked applications such as roasting, baking, boiling, or sautéing. Papapura potatoes are often sliced into coin-sized pieces and roasted as a side dish or used as a breakfast potato. They can also be baked, squashed, and pan-fried to create a creamy interior and crispy exterior or they can be cubed and roasted as a hearty side dish. Papapura potatoes pair well with meats, fish, poultry, chives, onions, hazelnut oil, thyme, fennel, garlic, and rosemary. They will keep for a couple of weeks when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Potatoes have become one of the most important agricultural crops in the Netherlands since its introduction in the 1600s. The Netherlands ranks among the world’s top ten potato producers, and only half of the potatoes produced are used as a food source. The other half is used as seed potatoes and are processed into chips and flour.
Geography/History
Papapura potatoes originated in the Netherlands and were the result of a cross between two unnamed cultivars at the Agrico Research breeding station in Emmeloord, the Netherlands in 1994. Today the fingerling potatoes are available in very limited supply at local grocers and farmers markets in Europe and the Netherlands.
