Peperoni Cruschi

Peperoni cruschi are flakes of crumbled fried heirloom peppers grown around Senise in the Italian region of Basilicata. Small, red, elongated, and slightly curvy Senise peppers have a sweet flavor with only a hint of heat. Due to the fact that these peppers have very little flesh, they are easily preserved by drying in the sun, but their full potential is shown when they're carefully fried in olive oil, salted, then broken into crispy flakes full of flavor.

Peperoni cruschi can be enjoyed on their own, as a crunchy side dish, or used as a flavor enhancer, sprinkled over vegetables, frittatas, or pasta.