Dried codfish with fried Senise peppers are a traditional delicacy from Basilicata.
Origin
Senise peppers were imported to Italy by Spanish merchants traveling between the Americas and Europe in the 16th-17th centuries. Peppers in general were introduced to the old world by Christopher Columbus. And this one specifically, which is now cultivated around the the city of Senise in Basilicata, was originally from the Antilles. Since about 1500, the Senise pepper was grown in the Basilicata provinces of Potenza and Matera. In the 1980s, cultivation was at risk of ending completely because of the construction of the Monte Cotugno basin. Luckily, farmers from Senise were able to find new terrain suited to growing them, and were later also able to get them the prestigious Protected Geographic Indication status. Senise peppers, also known locally as Basilicata gold, become crunchy when dried, so they are known as “cruschi” in the local dialect.
They are purplish red in color, and despite the fact that they look like chilis, Senise peppers are sweet. They come in 3 varieties based on their shape: hooked, blunt or pointed. Planted between February and March, they are manually picked from the first half of August.
Cook it
Remember never to wash Senise peppers before eating them–just wipe them with a dry cloth. In the areas where they grow, the traditional way to prepare them is called “Zafaran’ Crusk”– they’re fried for 30 seconds in oil and served with cheese or fresh vegetables, like broad beans or salad, which will enhance their tender sweetness. Another delicious idea is to fry or scramble an egg using the oil the peppers were fried in, and add a bit of sausage at the end. The frying oil can also be used to add some flavor to dried codfish. And this ‘Basilicata gold’ also goes well with fresh pasta dishes such as orecchiette (ear-shaped pasta), or strascinati and ferretti lucani (longer, rolled types of pasta).
Their flavor also pairs well with legumes. Try tagliatelle with strips of Senise peppers and sarconi beans–a dish known in dialect as “Tagliarell pu ziff’ e fasul”.
Did you know that?
Not just fresh or dried, this pepper can also be used in powder form. In that case it is known as
“Zafaran p’sat” (a word in dialect for saffron) because it looks like normal saffron, and is used in aged salami to add flavor and a pleasant color. This red saffron is used to season pasta: the traditional dish “Rasccatell cu Zifft” is made with cavatelli, a typical local pasta rolled by hand, with oil and Senise pepper powder. Another recipe is “Strascinato mollicato”, which is fresh pasta with bits of pepper and sprinkled with toasted breadcrumbs. Then there’s also salted ricotta with diced dried peppers. These peppers are rich in health benefits and contain a lot of vitamin C – 30% more than other types.
