Peperoni Cruschi Sun Dried Fried Peppers

If you have a soft spot in your heart for peppers or potato chips—or both—you’ll love these.

The Massimo family in Italy's far southern Basilicato region grow very mild heirloom chile peppers of a variety called peperone di Senise. When the peppers reach their peak ripeness, they are strung together by hand and then hung to dry in the sun for a few weeks. Once dry, they're cut in small strips and flash fried for just seven seconds (one more second and they're carbonized beyond edibility!) in a bit of the farm’s own olive oil. Finally they're salted.

The result is a sweet, smoky, salty, crispy sensation that’s quite habit forming. Not at all spicy—the more you eat, the more you want. Italians nibble them alongside a glass of wine, presumably with the willpower to stop. They're great in cooking, too. I've heard of folks crumbling them over beans or cooked greens or potatoes or roast fish. Try chopping up a few peppers and adding 'em to pasta or soup.

"Nancy Silverton served bowls of these Cruschi Peppers at a recent party... Sweet and crunchy with the mildest bite; I couldn’t stop eating them. I immediately started thinking of all the ways I would use these gorgeous creatures: tangled into spaghetti with some anchovies, sprinkled over chili, tossed into salads… the possibilities are endless."
Ruth Reichl