''Peperoncino'' (; : ''peperoncini'') is the generic

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

name for hot

chili pepper Chili peppers, also spelled chile or chilli ( ), are varieties of fruit#Berries, berry-fruit plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for their pungency. They are used as a spice to ...

s, specifically some regional

cultivar A cultivar is a kind of Horticulture, cultivated plant that people have selected for desired phenotypic trait, traits and which retains those traits when Plant propagation, propagated. Methods used to propagate cultivars include division, root a ...

s of the species ''

Capsicum annuum ''Capsicum annuum'' is a fruiting plant from the family Solanaceae (nightshades), within the genus Capsicum which is native to the northern regions of South America and to southwestern North America. The plant produces Berry, berries of many color ...

'' and '' C. frutescens'' (chili pepper and Tabasco pepper, respectively). The

sweet pepper The bell pepper (also known as sweet pepper, paprika, pepper, capsicum or, in some parts of the US midwest, mango) is the fruit of plants in the Grossum Group of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. Cultivars of the plant produce fruits in diff ...

is called ''peperone'' (: ''peperoni'') in Italian. Like most peppers, the fruit is green or yellowish-green when young, and ripens to a red colour.

History

The ''peperoncino'' probably came to Italy around the 15th century, when

southern Italy Southern Italy (, , or , ; ; ), also known as () or (; ; ; ), is a macroregion of Italy consisting of its southern Regions of Italy, regions. The term "" today mostly refers to the regions that are associated with the people, lands or cultu ...

was under Spanish dominion. It was likely an export from the new world among other plants new to Europe, such as the tomato. Like the

tomato The tomato (, ), ''Solanum lycopersicum'', is a plant whose fruit is an edible Berry (botany), berry that is eaten as a vegetable. The tomato is a member of the nightshade family that includes tobacco, potato, and chili peppers. It originate ...

, the ''peperoncino'' was first considered a decorative and possibly poisonous plant before it was adopted into

Italian cuisine Italian cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine#CITEREFDavid1988, David 1988, Introduction, pp. 101–103 consisting of the ingredients, recipes, and cooking techniques developed in Italy since Ancient Roman cuisine, Roman times, and later spread ...

. 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 the ''peperoncino'' was a cheap and convenient food for the lower classes. Pietro Andrea Mattioli first described ''peperoncini'' in 1568 and mentioned how much hotter they were than other varieties of pepper from Asia. The earliest surviving published use of ''peperoncino'' in a recipe dates to a 1694 cookbook by the Italian chef Antonio Latini. In his recipe for '' salsa alla spagnola'', chopped ''peperoncini'', tomatoes, and some onion are combined with

peppermint Peppermint (''Mentha'' × ''piperita'') is a Hybrid (biology), hybrid species of Mentha, mint, a cross between Mentha aquatica, watermint and spearmint. Indigenous to Europe and the Middle East, the plant is now widely spread and cultivated in m ...

, salt, and oil, to be served as a

relish A relish (a pickle-based condiment) is a cooking, cooked and pickling, pickled culinary dish made of chopped vegetables, fruits or herbs, typically used as a condiment to enhance a staple. Examples are chutneys and the North American relish, a p ...

Culinary use

In Italian cuisine ''peperoncini'' are used with moderation and the flavour is considered more important than the heat. As a consequence the Scoville rating serves only as a rough guide to the heat, which is quite varied among the different cultivars. The ''peperoncino'' is especially important in Calabrian 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. A typical ''peperoncino'' from

Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina to the southwest, which separates it from Sicily, and the Tyrrhenian S ...

rates 15,000 to 30,000 on the

Scoville scale The Scoville scale is a measurement of spiciness of chili peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component. The scale ...

. Notable Calabrian dishes which use ''peperoncini'' are the condiments ''bomba calabrese'',

chili oil Chili oil is a condiment made from vegetable oil that has been infused with chili peppers. Different types of oil and hot peppers are used, and other components may also be included. It is commonly used in Chinese cuisine, Mexico, Italy, and el ...

and the spreadable pork sausage

'nduja 'Nduja () is a spicy, spreadable pork sausage from the Calabria Calabria is a Regions of Italy, region in Southern Italy. It is a peninsula bordered by the region Basilicata to the north, the Ionian Sea to the east, the Strait of Messina ...

. It is also used in dishes of other regional cuisines of southern and central Italy, such as the Roman-style arrabbiata sauce and the Apulian '' orecchiette alle cime di rapa'' (orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe). While most crushed red pepper (a common component of spicy Italian-style cuisine and frequently sprinkled on pizza and other dishes) in North America is today made from

cayenne Cayenne (; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and capital city of French Guiana, an overseas region and Overseas department, department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Caye ...

jalapeño The jalapeño ( , , ) is a medium-sized chili pepper Fruit, pod type cultivar of the species ''Capsicum annuum''. A mature jalapeño chili is long and wide, and hangs down from the plant. The pungency of jalapeño peppers varies, but is usual ...

peppers common in that region, some specialty markets there supply imported Italian red ''peperoncino'' flakes.

Culture

Since 1992 the annual Peperoncino Festival has been held in the town of Diamante, 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 seaside

promenade An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortification, fortress or city walls ...

. The festival has a large market where local food products made with ''peperoncini'' are sold, and hosts a ''peperoncino''- eating contest. Calabrian

is a popular international export.

References

Bibliography

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External links