The best new potatoes will be the potatoes you grow yourself. A new potato freshly dug is full of flavour, the skins rub away with ease, and they have a texture that is fine and firm. They have more moisture and they do not dry out so much if baked, roasted or grilled. New potatoes are of the varieties known as ‘first earlies’, which are ready to be dug after 100 days. ‘Second earlies’ are ready after 110 to 120 days. The best quality new potatoes come only from the ‘earlies’; maincrop potatoes lifted too soon are not the same.
In Italy new potatoes are combined with strong flavours. Their firmness and flavour work well with anchovies and chillies, and herbs such as mint and marjoram. New potatoes are much less ‘floury’ than old potatoes and their waxy texture means that they remain firm and distinct when added to risottos, pastas, frittatas or salads.