The peperone crusco ('crispy pepper' in the local dialects), also known as crusco pepper
It is recognised as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT).
Peperone crusco is also fairly common in Calabria and limited uses can be found in Apulia, Abruzzo, and Molise.
Description
It is a dried and sweet-flavoured type of
Capsicum annuum, cultivated in Basilicata since the 1600s. Usually the Senise pepper variety is used for its preparation, for the thin pulp and low water content which make it easier to be dried.
Cultivation
Sowing begins in spring and harvest between July and August. Peppers are placed on cloths for three days in shady and dry places. Afterwards, they are tied with a lace forming garlands, called
serte, and dried outdoors in the summer period. By tradition, they are hung on windows, balconies, and houses' walls.
Culinary uses
The
peperoni cruschi are a staple of Lucanian cuisine. They can be consumed on their own as a
vegetable chip, as a
side dish, and as a flavour enhancer.
Regularly they are cleaned with a dry cloth or kitchen paper, deprived of the petiole and the seeds and flash-fried for one or two seconds in hot olive oil, achieving a crispy texture after cooling down.
See also
-
Cuisine of Basilicata
-
List of dried foods
Further reading
