The blog of San Lorenzo

Cherry chilli peppers are a traditional speciality from Piedmont. They can be filled either with anchovies and capers or with tuna. Preparing them is easy, but time-consuming. Each pepper has to be stripped of its seeds, washed and dried. They are then blanched in water and vinegar and left to dry again, before being filled. This type of chilli pepper is spicy yet sweet – and the sweetness almost always overrides the spiciness. However, the piquancy varies significantly from pepper to pepper, so you might find hot ones and sweet ones in the same batch.
They are princely hors d’oeuvres and the perfect accompaniment to mature cheeses (hard or semi-hard), charcuterie and even fish.

The territory: the Roero Valley
From a more recent geological formation than the Langa, the Roero is a land made up largely of woods and orchards, especially peach trees. The few towns and villages found in the area are precariously perched on narrow strips of land. Also a wine growing area, it produces sublime white wines like Arneis Roero d.o.c.g. and Moscato d’Asti d.o.c.g. , as well as fruit.
Scattered with Baroque churches and castles, like the Langa Valley, it has also been the subject of territorial disputes between neighbouring towns.

Have you tried Chilli peppers with Anchovies and Capers? Tell us what you think in the comments section!

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Scritto da Sara - Piperita alle 8:46, in A Closer Look, Products, In the spotlight

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Baby artichokes are one of the finest of all Italian appetisers. Whole or sliced, they are always to be found alongside sliced hams and salami.
The artichokes should be small, fleshy and flavourful. They are thoroughly cleaned and cooked in vinegar before being preserved in oil with various flavourings.
There are other ways of preserving them, in vinegar or brine, but oil is one of the preferred methods.
The artichoke probably originated in North Africa (although some believe it came from Sicily). Its use in Mediterranean cuisine has ancient origins, although it was first mentioned in written records in the second half of the 15th century. The artichoke was a great favourite at European courts, and for several centuries it was also renowned as an aphrodisiac.

The territory: Puglia
One of Italy’s southernmost regions, Puglia is a tourist destination with a great coastline and natural beauty, and over the years has become renowned for its food and wine, attracting tourists with its regional specialities. Inhabited since ancient times, its glory days were during the Romanic period, as churches, monasteries and even castles sprang up all over the region.
Pugliese cuisine is still considered “humble” yet has an ancient tradition in which farming traditions have merged with seafaring customs. The food is closely linked to the terrain, luxuriant and gently rolling over almost the entire region. There are three key ingredients: wine, flour and olive oil. The various types of Pugliese pasta have broken free of their regional restrictions and spread throughout Italy, although the existence of homemade pasta makers has preserved the traditional varieties such as the very well-known orecchiette, but also strascinati, cavatelli, and fusilli…
Pugliese wine also has ancient origins. The best-known include Primitivo di Manduria, Moscato di Trani and Salice Salentino, although Puglia has a great many appellations controlees - the list is still growing and there are many treasures still waiting to be discovered.

Have you tried Whole Baby Artichokes in Olive Oil ? Tell us what you think in the comments section!

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Ingredients: artichokes 62%, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt, natural flavourings. Acidity corrector: citric acid. Antioxidant: ascorbic acid.

Scritto da Sara - Piperita alle 14:45, in A Closer Look, Products, In the spotlight

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