Olive tree, ancient and precious plant. Three DOP extra virgin olive oils are produced in the fertile lands of Campania Felix.
There is the Terre Aurunche, with a prevalence of Sessana species olives, which take their name from Sessa Aurunca, the main center of this production, to which are added smaller percentages of Corniola, Itrana and Tonacella, cultivars typical of the neighboring areas. No less valuable, different from the first and from each other, are the Terre del Matese and the Colline Caiatine.
And then, although they are characteristic of nearby Lazio, the production area of the black table olives of Gaeta also extends into part of Campania Felix.
The oil is the ideal condiment to enhance the flavor of ancient and particular species of legumes, grown in very limited areas: the lentils and chickpeas of Valle Agricola and the canned beans of Matese, sweet and delicate, which take on a dark brown color when cooked. A drizzle of local raw oil is the ideal completion.
