Do you have Calabrian chilli?
a pe-pe-ron-CHI-no ka-la-BRE-ze
Asking for a specific regional spice at a dry goods or spice stall.
Peperoncino is fundamental to southern Italian cuisine. Calabrian chillies are particularly prized for their heat and depth of flavour. They are sold fresh in summer, dried in autumn and winter, or ground into powder. Some are preserved in oil (in oil di oliva) as a condiment.
È piccante o dolce?
Is it hot or mild?
Distinguishing hot from sweet paprika/chilli
Ha il peperoncino in polvere?
Do you have ground chilli?
Asking for the powdered form
Quanto è piccante?
How spicy is it?
Asking about the heat level — important for cooking
'Nduja is a spreadable spicy salami from Spilinga in Calabria, made with pork fat and a high proportion of Calabrian chillies. It has become internationally known in recent years and is sold at specialist Italian market stalls across the country.