Peperoncino

The Italian word for red chile peppers, this is an ingredient often added to many Italian dishes for a spicy flavor. Grown as a long, slender, hot green or red pepper and used fresh or dried, the peperoncino most often flavors soups, sauces, marinades, pickles, and main dishes. When dried, the pepper is crumbled or crushed to form a flake that is sprinkled over or into the food dish. This pepper is often made into threaded strings of peppers that are hung on doors and walls for drying or decoration.