Cucunci – Caper Berries in White Wine

Caper berries from Salina, pickled in Prosecco white wine

Viani Cucunci are whole caper berries from the island of Salina, pickled with the stem in Prosecco white wine – crunchy, slightly sweet, and mild enough to be eaten plain as an antipasto.

The caper berries, known in Italian as cucunci, from the Antonio Viani range come from the island of Salina and are pickled with the stem in Prosecco made from the Glera grape. The wine softens the natural bitterness of the caper berries and gives them a slightly sweet note that clearly distinguishes them from small, salty-sharp capers. The stem is intentionally left on, making them easy to hold without needing a fork or toothpick.

Cucunci – the fruit, not the flower bud

Caper berries develop from the flower buds of the caper bush if they are not picked early in the spring like small capers, but are instead left to ripen. The bud becomes an oval, olive-sized fruit with fine seeds inside. Botanically the same plant as the small caper, culinarily it is an independent product: milder, fleshier, and with a bite more reminiscent of a small pickled olive than a spice.

Because caper berries are so much larger than small capers, they also take longer to harvest – one reason why they are found less frequently in many kitchens than their smaller relatives, even though they come from the same plant and grow on the same bush.

Crunchy, mild, and with a fine wine sweetness

The first bite is crunchy, almost like a young caper variety; then the light sweetness of the Prosecco comes through, combining with a delicate saltiness and a hint of bitterness in the finish. This balance makes the cucunci so versatile: plain as a snack, marinated in oil as an antipasto, or chopped into small pieces as a spicy note in sauces. Unlike small capers, they do not need to be soaked before consumption – the Prosecco brine is mild enough to be eaten straight from the jar.

On an antipasti platter or in caponata

Served straight from the jar, the cucunci taste delicious on their own, held by the stem like a small praline. They pair well on an antipasti platter alongside olives, marinated artichokes, and a piece of pecorino, accompanied by a glass of Prosecco – the same wine they were pickled in.

Finely chopped, they add a spicy, slightly sweet note to caponata, the Sicilian eggplant dish, or a stew, something small capers cannot provide. They are also excellent with grilled fish or on a focaccia with olive oil, wherever a touch of sweetness rounds off the salty tone.

Salina, one of the 7 Aeolian Islands

Salina lies north of Sicily in the middle of the 7 Aeolian Islands and is considered the greenest of them, with Monte Fossa delle Felci as the highest point at 962 m. Along with the caper bush, the vines for the sweet Malvasia wine, for which the island is as famous as its capers, also grow here. This product’s origin is backed by the family business's long-standing relationship with Sicilian producers.

Antonio Viani brings them to Germany. You can find the small, salty-sharp capers from the same plant as Capperi – Small Capers in Salt, more caper products in the Capers & Caper Berries overview, and more from our Italian range in the Antonio Viani Importe collection. Two relatives from the same bush, two very different roles in the kitchen.

Content 180 g – Drained weight 94 g