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Hot pepper
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Description
Name: Hot pepper
Type of product: Fruit of plant in Solanaceae (potato) order.
Sewn: In late spring or summer.
Harvested: The fruit are harvested at the end of summer or the beginning of autumn when the plant loses its leaves
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Having established itself as an essential component of Mediterranean cuisine and an excellent ingredient for spicing up any dish, it is now revealing itself to be a natural medicine with all sorts of beneficial properties. Having reached Europe from the New World in the wake of Christopher Columbus's voyages, it is especially loved in hot countries, but it's not difficult to cultivate it even at this latitude. All you need is a temperature of at least 16°C, and fairly stable weather conditions.
The drier the climate, the hotter the flavor. It has already had a major influence on Italian and Mediterranean cuisine, in general, lending the dishes it graces a tangy zest. Since the peppers on the same plant mature at different rates, at any one point in time there is a pleasing variety of color. Peppers start out green, shading into yellow and then red, purple and even brown when mature. The Latin name, "Capsicum", comes from the verb "to eat", while the Italian word "peperoncino" (hot pepper) recalls their similarity to peperone (sweet peppers), only smaller and with a much thicker skin. There are both annual and perennial varieties of this plant whose fruits should be conserved, dried and shriveled, in well-sealed jars stored in a cool place in order to make sure you don't lose any of the flavor and nutritional value. Harvested while still green, hot peppers can be pickled in vinegar and used to spice up first courses, meats and salads. Rich in vitamins and mineral salts, they are featured in the majority of pasta sauces; one immediately thinks of such great classics as Penne all'Arrabbiata and Bucatini all'Amatriciana, but they are equally delightful in fish and vegetable sauces, as well.
A great way to add a spicy tang to extra-virgin olive oil, they imbue foods with a decisive flavor, acting upon the system as a natural medicine, having a beneficial effect on practically all our vital functions. They fortify our physical stamina, promoting the efficient function of our respiratory system, and they have a beneficial influence in terms of regulating blood pressure. And one must not underestimate their decorative value in the home; drying them in wreathes, one connected to another, they add a dash of color and summer warmth to any kitchen.
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