Ketchup with Nduja (270g) | KEJA Tomato Sauce with Calabrian Nduja | Natural Product | Provided in Bottle with Dispenser - by Moretti®

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Calabrese seeds are widely available from garden centres and online gardening retailers (although, confusingly, they are sometimes sold as broccoli). Calabrese doesn’t transplant well in warm weather, making it prone to bolting (premature flowering), so after April it is best sown in its final position outdoors (see below). Delicious and versatile, calabrese is best lightly steamed or stir-fried and can be used in all kinds of dishes.

Young calabrese plants growing temporarily in a seedbed, as well as those sown indoors or bought as plug plants, should be moved to their final growing site once they are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall, before warm weather arrives. From our delicious hand-stretched, stone baked pizzas, to our classic pastas, gluten free options and bundles, we’ve got you covered! Sowings after mid-spring are best made in their final position, as calabrese doesn’t transplant well in warm weather. Calabrese and broccoli are two different crops, but they are often muddled up, with both plants widely referred to as broccoli. Calabrese is a member of the cabbage (brassica) family, so should be grown alongside its relatives in crop rotations and protected from the main brassica pests and diseases – see Problem solving, below.When the young calabrese plants are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall and have a well-formed rootball, move them outdoors – see Transplanting, below. If done closer to planting time, firm the soil really well by treading it down, shuffling back and forth over it, then rake it smooth. For the most reliable calabrese varieties, look for those with an RHS Award of Garden Merit (AGM), which shows they performed exceptionally well in trials – see our list of AGM fruit and veg for recommended varieties of calabrese and many other crops. This pesto Calabrese recipe combines smoky charred peppers, soft ricotta , sun-dried tomatoes , creamy almonds and a healthy pinch of chilli flakes to create a wonderful sauce that can act as both a dip and a pasta sauce. Covering the crop with fine-mesh netting, supported on a framework, will keep several pests at bay, including cabbage caterpillars and pigeons.

Growing calabrese from seedFrom February to April, you can start calabrese seeds off in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. You can also sow in autumn and overwinter the young plants in a greenhouse, to plant out the following spring for an early crop. To grow well, plants need a wide range of nutrients in various amounts, depending on the individual plant and its stage of growth. The previous autumn, dig in two bucketfuls of well-rotted manure or garden compost per square metre/yard, to allow the ground time to settle over winter. A popular and tasty crop, calabrese produces large domed green heads up to 15cm (6in) across, for harvesting in summer and autumn.

Calabrese should be used straight after harvesting if possible, when packed with flavour and nutrients, but can be kept in the fridge for a few days or frozen for later use.