How Do You Eat a Prickly Pear?

Prickly pears are the edible fruits of a species of cactus called opuntia cacti. For the German market, prickly pears usually come from Italy or from overseas production. You eat the inside of the fruit, including the pips. The flesh tastes sweet and sour, the aroma is reminiscent of pears.

The prickly pear is easiest to eat pure if you halve the fruit and spoon it out like a kiwi. However, if you want to finely fillet the flesh for a fruit salad, you should remove the peel. Other preparation options are jams, chutney, or a sorbet. The peel can be easily peeled off with a sharp kitchen knife.

Always be careful when handling the prickly pear: it is covered with spines. Remnants of this can also still be left in specimens on the market. So be careful when handling the fruit or use gloves.