Pepper for Crusco (Capsicum annuum)

Crusco Pepper (Capsicum annuum): in the lands of the Pollino National Park, this cultivar holds the IGP designation, taking its name from a small municipality in the area, Senise. The berries are between 11 and 17 cm long, and range in color from green to purple-red when fully ripe. Among the types permitted by the regulations are hooked, pointed, and truncated, which describe their morphology (shape). All have a sweet flavor and a fundamental characteristic: a thin skin with a low water content that allows for rapid drying. It also has a stem that remains firmly attached to the berry even when ripe. This allows the peppers to be tied together to form braids and necklaces (1.5 to 2.5 m long, dried peppers typical of the production areas). The pepper is eaten both green and red, raw or dried and ground into a powder, and is the star of a true delicacy: the Crusco Pepper.