Peperone di Senise

The Peperone di Senise IGP, known as "crusco" or "zafaran", is a thin-fleshed pepper that is sun-dried and then fried in hot oil. When fried, it becomes crispy like a potato chip, which is where the name "crusco" comes from (meaning crispy in the local dialect).

Grown in the Sinni valley, at the foot of Pollino, the Peperone di Senise is harvested between August and September, then tied into garlands ("serte") and hung to dry on the balconies of homes, creating a fairytale landscape of red festoons.

The crusco pepper is an icon of Basilicata cuisine: crumbled over pasta with fried breadcrumbs, in scrambled eggs, or whole as an accompaniment to cured meats and cheeses.