Ajo Morado de Las Pedroñeras

Ajo Morado de Las Pedroñeras is a PGI covering dry bulbs of the indigenous 'Morado de Las Pedroñeras' ecotype of Allium sativum L., of the 'Morado de Cuenca' variety, produced across two hundred and twenty-five localities in Castilla-La Mancha. The bulb is distinguished by violet or purple clove skins, the absence of peripheral cloves, and a strong smell with a sharp, stimulating taste.

About this designation

Registered as a PGI on 12 March 2002 under file number PGI-ES-0228 (eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013535), Ajo Morado de Las Pedroñeras protects dry bulbs of the indigenous ecotype 'Morado de Las Pedroñeras' of species Allium sativum L., belonging to the 'Morado de Cuenca' variety. Protected product must be of category Extra or category I, with a minimum diameter across the peeled bulb of 45 mm for Extra and 41 mm for category I, and must have been harvested less than a year beforehand. The production area comprises two hundred and twenty-five localities in the districts of La Mancha, Mancha, Mancha Alta, Mancha Baja, Manchuela and Centro, in the provinces of Albacete, Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Toledo in the Autonomous Community of Castilla-La Mancha. Sowing takes place from early December to mid-January; harvesting begins at the end of June and is finished by the end of July. After 30 September of the relevant marketing year, storage must be in controlled-humidity and controlled-temperature conditions, between –2 and –4 degrees centigrade. Garlic stored for a year or more since the date of harvest may not be marketed under the designation. All packaging must bear the PGI logo prominently and carry a non-reusable guarantee seal or label issued by the Certification Body, Servicios de Inspección y Certificación, S.L. (SIC), authorised by the competent authority and meeting the requirements of standard UNE-EN 45011. The applicant group recorded in the register is ASOCIACIÓN IGP AJO MORADO DE LAS PEDROÑERAS.

Source: The register document this entry was written from · retrieved August 26, 2026

Distinctive facts

• Registered as a PGI on 12 March 2002 under file number PGI-ES-0228, eAmbrosia identifier EUGI00000013535.
• Protected bulbs must have a minimum diameter of 45 mm (Extra) or 41 mm (category I), measured across the peeled bulb.
• Garlic stored for a year or more since the date of harvest cannot be marketed under the designation.
• The clove skins are a characteristic violet or purple colour; the specification states there are no peripheral cloves.

HoReCa use

The source document notes that garlic is an essential ingredient of most dishes in the region's cuisine, citing atascaburras, caldereta, moje de pimientos, perdiz en escabeche, revueltos, migas, and gachas.