Also known as peperone di Senise, these pointy red chillies grown in Basilicata since the 17th century are famous for their low moisture. Fairly mild when it comes to heat, they are reminiscent of the Basque piments d'Espelette.

Harvested in August and dried in the sun, they are usually fried in olive oil until crispy (peperoni cruschi, or pipi arruschkati) and sprinkled on dishes (pasta, potatoes, etc) to give them a warm smoky flavour. Or you can nibble them as they are with a drink.

Zafarana

They are also popular in Calabria: in Tortora, Zafarana chilis (known as the saffron or zafferano of the poor) are a close relative of Senise, but with a thinner skin. Traditionally ‘wreaths’ of zafarana are slow baked in the oven with the bread until they are easily ground into a powder called pisata that appears even in some dishes A popular dish is patane cca zaferana pisata (boiled potatoes sprinkled with pisata) and another is lagane strips of pasta and chick peas topped with pisata.

IGP status.