San Pasquale Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo): a historic zucchini ecotype from Naples, suitable for home-grown vegetable gardens but also for commercial use due to its exceptional productivity. The name likely derives from the transplant date, which traditionally coincides with the saint's day (May 17). In fact, it's possible to have two growing cycles, one in spring and one in autumn. It produces large quantities of flowers and fruit, and is an early plant. However, this zucchini, or "cocozziello," requires regular irrigation; otherwise, you'll experience low yields and small fruits. It's typically harvested at around 20-30 cm, depending on irrigation, which makes the fruit more tender.
In cooking, it resembles the more common Romanesco, with its striated, ribbed skin and pale, delicate flesh. In the next section, we'll provide a link describing its characteristics in the original language.
