The
pepperoncini (pronounced: pep-per-awn-chee-nee) is also known as the
Tuscan pepper. This pepper is found in Italy and Greece.
Pepperoncini grow on a bushy plant that reaches 750 mm in
height
and produces sweet green peppers that turn red when mature. Usually
picked at 50 to 100 mm long, these bright green, wrinkled
peppers
taper to a blunt, lobed end. Dried, it
is wrinkly, curved and russet red and approximately 12 mm wide.
The
Italian pepperoncini is a sweet pepper that is both crunchy and
somewhat bitter in taste, whilst the Greek pepperoncini, known as a
"golden pepper", has a sweeter flavor. Both peppers are mildly hot and
when dried and pickled, have a slightly salty flavor, which can be
decreased by rinsing the pepper in water. The Italian peppers are also
known as Tuscan peppers, since they originated in the Tuscany region of
Italy. This pepper is often served as an appetizer or as a complement
to a Greek salad.
A mild pepper, it registers on the
Scoville scale at between 100 and 500 Shu's.
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