The maincrop potatoes that we use are the varieties Linska and Roseval. They remain thin-skinned during storage, and retain their yellow waxy texture. Desirée is another potato that we use in April, and it is our first choice when making gnocchi.
There are a number of Italian varieties that taste different from each other, some nutty, some sweet. Spunta, Primura and Sistema are all potatoes that you should try if you ever see them in the shops.
Italians appreciate potatoes as a vegetable in their own right, not just as an accompaniment to other vegetables. They are eaten much more in the north, where they have been grown since the eighteenth century. They are not used every day as a starch, though, in contrast to the rest of Europe.
Potatoes in Italian cooking are mostly cooked with other ingredients and vegetables, in recipes for soups, risottos and salads, as well as accompaniments for fish and meat.