Natalina Di Fasano Cima Grande is a richly flavored broccoli rabe from Italy's Puglia region that outperforms other varieties with abundant, oversized heads. This heirloom cultivar grows 24-36 inches tall and thrives in zones 3-10, making it surprisingly cold-hardy for southern Italian heritage. The source catalog called it simply astounding in trials, producing more and bigger heads than competitors. Sauté it with garlic and olive oil, toss it with orecchiette pasta, or serve it as a gourmet side dish that captures the essence of Puglian cuisine.
Full Sun
Moderate
3-10
36in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Baker Creek's trials revealed why this Puglian heirloom inspired such enthusiasm: it consistently delivered more and bigger heads than other broccoli rabe varieties, and the flavor proved richly complex enough to anchor traditional Italian dishes. The abundant yields mean a single planting keeps your kitchen supplied through the season. Its cold tolerance (zones 3-10) belies its southern Italian origins, letting northern gardeners grow authentic Puglian broccoli rabe without compromise.
This broccoli rabe excels in preparations that let its rich flavor shine: sautéed with generous garlic and good olive oil as a vegetable course, tossed into orecchiette pasta, layered on toasted bread, or incorporated into pasta dishes where its slightly bitter edge balances creamy elements. The abundant heads make it well-suited to kitchen preservation techniques like blanching and freezing for winter use.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your intended transplant date, keeping soil temperature between 55-70°F for reliable germination. Broccoli rabe germinates reliably in this range.
Transplant hardened-off seedlings into the garden when soil temperature reaches 50°F or above. Space plants 12-18 inches apart in rows 24-30 inches apart to accommodate mature height of 24-36 inches. Broccoli rabe tolerates frost, so transplant timing is flexible, but consistent moisture during establishment is important.
Direct sow seeds in spring as soon as soil is workable, or in midsummer for a fall crop. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in rows 24-30 inches apart.
Harvest the central head when it reaches full size but before the flower buds begin to open or yellow. Cut the central head with a sharp knife 1-2 inches below the base of the head. After harvesting the main head, the plant will produce side shoots that can be harvested individually as they develop. Continue harvesting side shoots throughout the season until frost arrives. The frost tolerance of this variety means you can extend your harvest window well into fall in most zones.
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“Natalina Di Fasano comes from Puglia, the heel of Italy's boot, where broccoli rabe has been cultivated for generations as a cornerstone vegetable. The variety carries a family name, Fasano is a town in Puglia's Brindisi province, suggesting deep local roots in regional agriculture. This heirloom survived in Italian seed-saving traditions and reached American gardeners through Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, which recognized its exceptional yields and flavor profile during comparative trials. The variety represents the living culinary heritage of a specific place, preserved through generations of farmers and home gardeners who understood its worth.”