Peperone Crusco I.G.P. from Senise
The Lucanian Croccante that Conquered Italy
Crusco in Lucanian dialect means ‘crunchy’, and this is the secret of Senise IGP peppers: an irresistible crunchiness, a texture similar to potato chips, but with an intense and aromatic flavour and an olive aftertaste. Paired with many traditional dishes from southern Italy, such as Sicily, Calabria, Campania, Basilicata and Puglia, it is very versatile and is mainly used as a spice, flavouring and colouring.
Produced from sweet red peppers, with their typical conical and elongated shape, it is made using ancient and simple traditional methods. It is highly appreciated by gourmet chefs and restaurateurs and can be served with appetisers, crumbled and mixed with creams or spreadable cheeses, ricotta or even mature cheeses. You can combine it with pasta, rice and soups, use it as an edible decoration on meat and fish, mix it with cooked vegetables, salads and legumes, add it to pizza, or use the powder as a natural colouring for bread and focaccia. It is also used for baking. Strings of dried peppers are often used as decorations in traditional Italian restaurants in southern Italy.
Our producer has a modest family-run farm and oversees production from raw material to finished product, ensuring product traceability in a single production chain that guarantees a passion for tradition through the methods of harvesting, processing and preparation. The sweet “corno” pepper is grown, harvested and dried in the same place. The drying process takes 2 to 4 months depending on the season, temperature and humidity. After this process, the pepper loses about 60% of its original weight. Once it has been confirmed that the product has reached a certain degree of ripeness, it is packaged and labelled as “Peperone Crusco secco I.G.P. di Senise” (Senise dried hot pepper PGI). This process fully complies with the rigorous traditional production methods used in ancient times, namely natural drying.
Highly recommended for Ho.Re.Ca.
The farm not only produces and sells the dried product, but also processes it further, offering consumers a ready-to-use food product with no waste. After being dried, the peppers are taken to a laboratory (kitchen) where the stalks and seeds are removed by hand, and then gently fried for a short time over a low heat in extra virgin olive oil. The product is then drained, left to rest for a short time and then packaged, ready for professional use by chefs in restaurants and hotels.
Why include Peperone Crusco in your menu?
100 different ways to use it: it is a unique spice, used to flavour 1,000 dishes. It is very versatile and is a natural colouring agent, also used as a decoration.
Certified artisan quality: by choosing an I.G.P. product, you are helping to preserve the land, the environment and the ancient gastronomic traditions of a people.
Short supply chain and high production standards: from growing the peppers to processing the finished product, everything is locally sourced, truly following the traditional methods of our ancestors.
A multitasking product: thanks to its versatility, it can be easily combined and mixed with dishes or foods from other traditions and countries.
Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten Free and locally sourced: rich in vitamins C, A, E, K, iron, fibre and antioxidants, it is a product with zero environmental impact and completely affordable for any customer.
A 100% Italian product, natural and with an unmistakable taste, which is a must-have in the pantry of anyone who loves the fine cuisine of southern Italy.
To spark your imagination and give you some ideas on how to use this product, here are some examples of dishes that use Lucanian peppers. They are easy to modernise and are very useful for inexperienced chefs who want to try their hand at cooking with this incredible spice for the first time.
Menu with Peperone Crusco, to pair with red wines:
1. Bread bruschetta, stracciatella di burrata cheese, crispy fried pepper strips, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil I.G.P.
2. Beef tartare with salt, pepper, garlic and chopped fried crusco pepper, bruschetta and I.G.P. extra virgin olive oil
3. Omelette with beaten eggs, stewed onion, salt, pepper and flakes of crusco pepper
4. Risotto with Cacio Cavallo cheese and crushed pepper powder
5. Potato lasagne with four cheeses and chopped fried crusco peppers added at the end of cooking
6. Pasta with stewed chickpeas, garlic, rosemary and crushed peppers after cooking
7. Spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli pepper, with chopped crusco pepper added at the end of cooking
8. Stewed salt cod with fresh tomatoes and garnished with IGP crusco peppers, cooked by the chef
9. Lamb chops breaded with a mixture of breadcrumbs and chopped crusco peppers, fried or baked
10. Fried eggs sprinkled with a mixture of chopped Pecorino Romano cheese, parsley and crusco pepper
11. Cheese and pepper balls covered with fried aubergines, served with tomato sauce
12. Baked potatoes with garlic and rosemary and chopped fried crusco peppers
13. Salad with spelt, flaked feta cheese, sun-dried cherry tomatoes, crushed pepper powder and extra virgin olive oil
14. Grilled courgettes, sweet peppers and aubergines with a drizzle of oil and crushed red pepper powder
15. Rustic almond and cornflour cake, covered with honey and chopped crusco peppers
16. Ice cream cup with dark chocolate and crusco pepper for an elegant contrast
Contact us to receive information and for price list:
Michaela Salajova +420 774 951 241 (Czech, English)
Danny Accadia +39 371 312 7872 (Italian, English)
info@italkafood.cz
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