Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs 2023/C 80/12
Date: 2023-03-03
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Arad, Romania, bread, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, product designation, quality control of agricultural products








C_2023080EN.01007901.xml










3.3.2023   


EN


Official Journal of the European Union


C 80/79






Publication of an application for registration of a name pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs
(2023/C 80/12)
This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) within three months from the date of this publication.
SINGLE DOCUMENT

’Pită de Pecica'


EU No: PGI-RO-02826 – 6.1.2022


PDO ( ) PGI (X)

1.   Name(s) [of PDO or PGI]

’Pită de Pecica'
2.   Member State or Third Country

Romania
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   
Type of product


Class 2.3. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares
3.2.   
Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies


’Pită de Pecica' is a bakery product, baked or frozen baked, made from risen dough and baked in ovens.
’Pită de Pecica' is made from wheat flour, fresh yeast, water and iodised salt.
It has an irregular, slightly elongated shape with highly visible scoring and a weight of 4 kg, 2 kg, 1 kg or 0,5 kg.
’Pită de Pecica' is sold in two varieties:
Baked,
Frozen baked.
3.2.1.   Organoleptic characteristics

The appearance of ‘Pită de Pecica’, baked and frozen baked, is: a whole loaf with a semi glossy browned, not burnt, surface, without traces of ash. The product is well developed, not flattened or deformed. It has a thick crust on the outside, and the layers of airy dough are visible in cross-section.






Appearance:










—


shape












—


slightly elongated with highly visible scoring;








Crust:


 










—


surface












—


rough, semi-glossy, slightly crunchy;














—


colour












—


brown;








Interior:










—


appearance












—


not separate from the crust;














—


texture












—


loose throughout the entire cross-section, without flour clumps, elastic, with uniform pores (some bigger pores are acceptable);














—


colour












—


yellowish-white;








Flavour:








—


sweet and salty (sweet thanks to carbohydrates from gluten and salty thanks to the salt content)








3.2.2.   Physical and chemical characteristics







Moisture:


min. 40 % - max. 50 %




Acidity:


min. 1,0° - max. 2,5°




Porosity:


min. 70 % - max. 85 %




Elasticity:


min. 80 % - max. 98 %




Salt:


min. 0,5 % - max. 2 %




3.3.   
Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)


—
3.4.   
Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area


All steps in the manufacture of 'Pită de Pecica' take place in the defined geographical area. The production process for 'Pită de Pecica' comprises the following specific steps: quantity and quality acceptance of the raw materials, preparing and measuring out the raw materials, obtaining the sourdough starter, kneading the dough, dough fermentation, tearing the dough, resting, shaping, rising, baking, cooling and rapid freezing (only for the frozen baked product).
3.5.   
Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to


—
3.6.   
Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to


The product is labelled in line with European and Romanian legislation in force.
The label includes the following:






—


the name of the product, 'Pită de Pecica', followed by the words ’Indicație Geografică Protejată’ (Protected Geographical Indication) or the abbreviation 'IGP' (PGI) (translated into the language(s) of the country in which the product is marketed);










—


the type of product (baked or frozen);










—


the PGI symbol is marked on the packaging in compliance with EU legislation;










—



Asociația Producătorilor de Produse Tradiționale Arădeanca din Județul Arad (The Arădeanca Association of Traditional Product Manufacturers from Arad County)










—


manufacturer’s name;










—


the logo of the inspection and certification body.




4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The geographical area comprises the Pecica administrative territorial unit, Arad county, defined according to the Romanian territorial-administrative structure.
The Pecica administrative territorial unit is a continuous area in the west of Romania.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The causal link between the geographical origin and the characteristics of the product consists of the reputation, the human factor and the product’s characteristics.

Reputation

Reasons why the product is associated with the geographical area:






—


the name of the product 'Pită de Pecica' contains the name of the Pecica geographical area;










—


’Pită de Pecica' is made only in that geographical area;










—


at the end of 2011, 'Pită de Pecica' received a trademark certificate;










—


’Pită de Pecica' appears on the coat of arms of the town of Pecica.




Evidence for the current reputation of 'Pită de Pecica' can be found in publications and local events related to the product:






—


the Ferma magazine, year XI, No 8 (75), August 2009, states that today, the Pecica locality owes its fame to 'Pită de Pecica'.










—


the Glasul Aradului publication, year III, No 514, 17 August 2009, states that the tradition of celebrating 'Pită de Pecica' continues to this day in the form of the Feast of the New Pită.










—


the Pecicanul newspaper, year IV, No 35, August 2013, writes about the ‘Valle di Comino’ International Folklore Festival in Italy: ‘The people of Pecica ... brought packages with traditional products, among which 'Pită de Pecica' took the place of honour’.










—


in 2016, the Pecicanul newspaper, year VII, No 65, June 2016: ‘Pecica’s pita and folklore – celebrities in Brussels’. ‘Pecica was the star of the Tervueren Boulevard celebration ... the people of Pecica set up a stand for the town ... an exhibition of antique objects ... and a spread of traditional foods, including 'Pită de Pecica' ... The officials from Woluwe-Saint-Pierre accepted the invitation to visit Pecica in August, for the Feast of the New Pită ...’










—


‘dancers and 'Pită de Pecica' have impressed the Germans’, the Pecicanul newspaper (year X, No 100) writes in July 2019, where the Pecica people have highlighted their local brand, 'Pită de Pecica'.










—



Pecicanul, year XI, No 104, February 2020 mentions ‘Music and Pită from Pecica in Vienna’, where ‘Pecica brought its local trademark to Vienna, and 'Pită de Pecica' was offered ... both as a reward ... and for tasting’.




The product’s fame is due to historical proof of its antiquity, transmitted through oral sources collected and transcribed in magazines and books to be handed down to future generations.
’Pită de Pecica' has been known through the ages for its flavour (‘The pită ... kneaded by the Peșca pitari [bakers] is even tastier than cozonac’) and has become Pecica’s trademark.
Its excellence was known at the Arad market as well, where it would be sold still hot and eaten on its own, so tasty it was ‘just wrapped up in your tongue’, as the old people used to say.
Selling 'Pită de Pecica' was ‘the most profitable and secure business, because a coat, boot or shoe may still be mended for some time, but “our daily bread” can never be missing from the table.’
’Pită de Pecica' was not only the town’s claim to fame, but also a symbol of its people’s know-how and industriousness. ‘The people of Peșca, and above all the housewives, were masters of breadmaking’;
’Pită de Pecica' was so famous that it became proverbial; thanks to its flavour it was known in the whole country, and the following toast would always be made at big parties: ‘Long live the Nation and the Foundation ... and the Garden ... and the pită!’
The renown of 'Pită de Pecica' led to it being celebrated each August, at what is called ‘the Feast of the New Pită’ (Praznicul de Pită Nouă).
We celebrate the bread made with wheat harvested that year.
The Feast of the New Pită transforms wheat harvest into a true festival, and bread baking into an ancient ritual in which all members of the community take part.
The Feast of the New Pită has been held since time immemorial on the Sunday closest to the Feast of the Dormition and has persisted until 1913 when it was interrupted because of the First World War. The celebration of the bread was revived in 1974, thanks to the work of a history teacher from Arad, Emil Crăciun Lăzureanu.

Human factors

The human factor is especially important for the quality of 'Pită de Pecica'.
In the past, Pecica pitari would buy wheat at the local market, take it to the mill where it would be ground the same day, and the bags of flour would then be transported to the pitar‘s house by the miller. All night long, the family would knead the bread dough and put it in the oven to bake. These treats were sold to locals at the Arad market, too. “Tens, nay, hundreds of families worked in bread-making”.
In the old times, women made bread according to recipes handed down by their ancestors, to the delight of everyone, and especially the children.
They knew how to prepare the flour for the dough, whether it was leavened with hops or yeast. The dough had to be kneaded very well “until the ceiling beam sweats” and then left to rise until it was time to put it in the oven for the baking.
The baking duration and how the oven was heated were likewise important.
All these factors combined make 'Pită de Pecica' stay fresh for many days. “Bread for the family was made once a week; pită was made daily or more often by pitari who sold it at the Arad market, in regular (crișca) and large (cărhănoc) loaves”.
The tradition of making this bread, preparing the dough, kneading, and the baking method, have been handed down from generation to generation, so that this traditional product can be found on the consumers’ tables to this day.
The flavour of the local bread is due to a special recipe and a specific preparation method.
It is said that, in the olden days, each family could recognise by taste the bread made in their own home. The uniqueness of 'Pită de Pecica' is appreciated at national level – it is considered the best hearth-baked bread.
The art of preparing and baking 'Pită de Pecica' has been handed down from generation to generation by the locals.
As a result, now:






—


the sourdough starter is prepared with apă de pită (pită water), water which only the Pecica pitari (bakers) know how to make.










—


the Pecica pitari know how the dough must be fermented, having studied this for generations; the dough should not be heavy, so that, as they say ‘the baker doesn’t break his arms’, imparting a specific elasticity.










—


the shaping is done in three ways. Only the Pecica pitari know how long the dough needs to be worked during the shaping process, and how to perform the virguire or solgare to give the bread its specific shape.










—


the baking temperature, baking time and the placement of bread in the special ovens is known only by the Pecica pitari.





Specificity of the product

The specificity of the product is due to the Pecica people’s skill and their work method, which are passed from generation to generation. Preparing the sourdough starter with ‘pită water’, mixing time and mixing method, dough fermentation, placement in the oven, baking method and the specificity of the oven, all make ‘Pita de Pecica’ well-known and loved.
Unlike other similar products, 'Pită de Pecica' has the following specific characteristics:






—


has a slightly elongated shape with highly visible scoring due to shaping (folding, virguire, solgare) weighs 4 kg, 2 kg, 1 kg or 0,5 kg, has a glossy surface and a tender crust, which is created by brushing the bread with a brush dipped in water after baking, the crust being brown because of the oven’s baking method. The bread is tall because of the resting, rising and baking process.










—


the cross-section of 'Pită de Pecica' differs from other products of this type in that the interior is moist and forms one whole with the crust (this is because of the specificity of the oven), and in its elasticity imparted during the dough fermentation time.










—


the flavour is salty and slightly sweet, thanks to the gluten carbohydrates content, which distinguishes the bread from other products of this kind.










—


the bread is fluffy thanks to air bubbles which expand in volume during the dough fermentation.





Other characteristics of 'Pită de Pecica'

In the past, the locals would make and bake 'Pită de Pecica' in the specific ovens (everyone would have their own oven made by master oven-makers). Those who sold the bread were called pitari; they made and baked the bread [in] the ovens in the same way: ‘Everything went well in the houses of the pitari, since their marvellous bread was selling like hot cakes’.
Today, 'Pită de Pecica' is made and baked only in bakeries, following the same technological steps, because the specific ovens can only be found in bakeries today.

Reference to publication of the specification

www.madr.ro
https://www.madr.ro/docs/ind-alimentara/2022/Caiet-de-sarcini-Pita-de-Pecica-actualizat-nov.2022.pdf


(1)  OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1.