| Peperoncino | |
|---|---|
 Peperoncini for sale at a market ofTropea in Calabria, Italy | |
| Heat |  Hot |
| Scoville scale | 15,000–30,000 SHU |
Peperoncino (Italian:[peperonˈtʃiːno];pl.:peperoncini) is the genericItalian name for a hotchili pepper, specifically some regionalcultivars of the speciesCapsicum annuum andC. frutescens (chili pepper and Tabasco pepper, respectively).[1] (The suffix "ino" means smaller; the largersweet bell pepper is calledpeperone (pl.:peperoni) in Italian.)[2] Like most chili peppers, the fruit is green or yellowish-green when young, and ripens to a red colour.
Thepeperoncino probably came to Italy around the 15th century, whensouthern Italy was under Spanish dominion. It was likely an export from the new world among other plants new to Europe, such as the tomato. Like thetomato, thepeperoncino was first considered a decorative and possibly poisonous plant before it was adopted intoItalian cuisine. It might have become popular as a food long before the cookbooks attest to its use; these cookbooks were written for the upper classes, while thepeperoncino was a cheap and convenient food for the lower classes.[1]
Pietro Andrea Mattioli first describedpeperoncini in 1568 and mentioned how much hotter they were than other varieties ofpepper from Asia. The earliest surviving published use ofpeperoncino in a recipe dates to a 1694 cookbook by the Italian chefAntonio Latini. In his recipe forsalsa alla spagnola, choppedpeperoncini, tomatoes, and some onion are combined withpeppermint, salt, and oil, to be served as arelish.[3]
In Italian cuisinepeperoncini are used with moderation and the flavour is considered more important than the heat. As a consequence theScoville rating serves only as a rough guide to the heat, which is quite varied among the different cultivars.[4]
Thepeperoncino is especially important inCalabrian cuisine. In late summer,peperoncini are stitched on wires and hung from buildings. They are left to dry in spots with sunlight and ventilation to conserve them, allowing their use in cooking until the next harvest. They are eaten whole, fried until crisp, crushed,pickled, powdered or as a paste.[5] A typicalpeperoncino fromCalabria rates 15,000[6] to 30,000[7] on the Scoville scale.Notable Calabrian dishes which usepeperoncini are the condimentsbomba calabrese,chili oil and the spreadable pork sausage'nduja. It is also used in dishes of other regional cuisines ofsouthern andcentral Italy, such as theRoman-stylearrabbiata sauce and theApulianorecchiette alle cime di rapa (orecchiette pasta withbroccoli rabe).
While mostcrushed red pepper (a common component of spicy Italian-style cuisine and frequently sprinkled onpizza and other dishes) in North America is today made fromcayenne orjalapeño peppers common in that region, some specialty markets there supply imported Italian redpeperoncino flakes.
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Since 1992 the annual Peperoncino Festival has been held in the town ofDiamante, Calabria. Organised by the Accademia Italiana del Peperoncino, the festival now attracts tens of thousands of visitors. It is held for four days surrounding the first weekend of September on the town's seasidepromenade. The festival has a large market where local food products made withpeperoncini are sold, and hosts apeperoncino-eating contest.[8] Calabrian chili oil is a popular international export.[citation needed]
