Peperoni di Senise Pepper Seeds

This is a gourmet pepper from Basilicata region of Italy. The official name is Peperoni di Senise. It has protected status under the EU so cannot be sold there unless it comes from its area of origin. The Senise is named after the village that grows it by the same name. Senise, Italy is located in the valleys between the Agri and Sinni rivers. Many years ago the Senise peppers were dried to make a powder that would season the meals of those that could not afford better food. It is still dried today to make a delicious powder but now has become a part of the Lucanian Italian diet.

It is traditionally fried in olive oil with sea salt and sometimes minced garlic. Peperoni di Senise peppers are to Italy the same as hatch Chiles are to New Mexico! Cooking the Senise peppers enhances their flavor and they can be cooked a little or until they are almost crispy! They have a very mild heat level and rich nutty flavor! The Senise chiles grow to almost 10 inches long and are about 2 inches in diameter at the stem. They ripen from green to red. The Senise chile plants grow to almost 3 feet tall.