Delicious and versatile, calabrese is best lightly steamed or stir-fried and can be used in all kinds of dishes. Packed with seasonal flavours, our hand stretched classic tomato base is topped with slices of roasted aubergine, creamy Burrata and sun-blushed tomatoes. Calabrese is a fast-growing brassica and needs little maintenance apart from weeding regularly and watering during dry spells. 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. 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.

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. 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). Calabrese is susceptible to all the main brassica pests, so cover the crop with insect-proof mesh, supported on canes and pinned to the ground.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. Harden off indoor-sown plants first and take great care not to disturb the roots, so they continue growing strongly without any checks. Begin by charring the peppers in a smoking hot griddle pan or directly over a gas hob flame, rotating as the skin blackens. Packed with seasonal flavours, our hand stretched classic tomato base is topped with slices of roasted aubergine, creamy Burrata and sun-dried tomatoes. If your soil is very acidic, apply lime the previous winter to raise the pH and deter clubroot disease.

When the young calabrese plants are 10–15cm (4–6in) tall and have a well-formed rootball, move them outdoors – see Transplanting, below. Once they have a good root system, they should only need watering during dry spells, to avoid any check in their growth, which could cause them to bolt (flower prematurely). It is susceptible to several pests and diseases that affect the cabbage family, including clubroot and cabbage root fly. After cutting the main head, further smaller heads form on side-shoots, extending the harvest for up to eight weeks. Sowing indoors is also preferable if you have clubroot disease in your soil, so the plants can develop a strong root system before being moved outside.

Broccoli plants (also known as sprouting broccoli) produce much smaller clusters of purple or white buds on the tips of leafy stems. Regular harvesting encourages plants to produce further small heads, extending the cropping season for up to a couple of months. From April to June, you can sow calabrese seeds outdoors, either on a temporary basis in a seedbed (for transplanting later – see below) or straight into their final site if you have space.

Plant young calabrese deeper than they were previously growing, with the lowest leaves level with the surface, so they root in securely. The three key plant nutrients usually derived from soil are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, while carbon, oxygen and hydrogen are absorbed from the air. Larger varieties and those in exposed sites should be given additional support – insert a sturdy cane and tie in the main stem to hold it secure. After you harvest the main head, further small heads will develop on side-shoots, which can be picked regularly over the following weeks.The main head is ready to cut when 10–15cm (4–6in) across, well formed but still in bud, before the flowers begin to open. Once the main head starts to form, calabrese plants can become top-heavy, so pile soil up around the base of the stem to improve stability. Gardeners can add nutrients by applying fertilisers (either artificial or naturally derived) to boost plant growth and improve flowering and fruiting.

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. Young calabrese plants may also be available in spring from similar sources, but the choice of varieties may be very limited.Growing calabrese from seedFrom February to April, you can start calabrese seeds off in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. If sowing in their final position, sow three seeds every 30cm (1ft) along the drill, then thin out each cluster of seedlings to leave just one at each point. If you sow several small batches a few weeks apart, you can spread out your harvests and avoid gluts.