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Peperoncini ripieni sott'olio
Stuffed hot chillies in oil
Peperoncini ripieni: Calabria's round hot chillies stuffed with tuna, anchovy and capers
In Calabria the chilli is king, and the small round red chillies called "ciliegini" (cherry chillies) are hollowed out, softened in vinegar, then stuffed with a mixture of tuna, anchovies and capers and kept in olive oil. They are served as an antipasto with bread and cheese all over the region, especially around Tropea and Soverato. Wear gloves when handling the chillies. Chef's tip: blanch the hollowed chillies in vinegar for 2 minutes, then dry them upside down overnight; this softens the heat a little and makes them safe to keep in oil in the fridge.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅛ lb round red cherry chillies
- 2 cups white wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 5 ½ oz tuna in olive oildrained
- 2 tbsp capersrinsed
- 2 tbsp gluten-free breadcrumbsopt
- 1 ¾ cups olive oilto cover
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Wearing gloves, cut the tops off 1 ⅛ lb round red cherry chillies and scoop out the seeds with a small spoon.
Step 2: Bring 2 cups white wine vinegar and 1 cup water to the boil, add the chillies and simmer for 2 minutes. Drain and stand upside down on a clean towel to dry overnight.
2 minStep 3: Mash 5 ½ oz tuna in olive oil, 6 anchovy fillets in oil and 2 tbsp capers to a paste. Add 2 tbsp gluten-free breadcrumbs, if using, to firm it up.
Step 4: Fill each chilli with the paste, pressing it in firmly. Common mistake: wet chillies; any water left inside spoils the oil.
Step 5: Pack tightly into clean sterilised jars and cover with 1 ¾ cups olive oil by 1 cm. Close and keep in the fridge. Eat within 2 weeks, using a clean fork each time.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 130 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does peperoncini ripieni sott'olio take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 5 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of white wine vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of tuna in olive oil?
- Vegetable, sunflower or rapeseed oil, same amount (for cooking; keep olive oil for dressings if you have a little).
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