Italian Long Sweet Chile Peppers

Estimated Inventory, lb : 106.47
This item was last sold on : 06/14/25

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Description/Taste

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are elongated, curved to straight pods, averaging 20 to 25 centimeters in length, and have a conical shape that tapers to a point on the non-stem end. The pods often appear twisted due to their length and prominent creases, and the skin is smooth, glossy, and waxy, ripening from green, yellow, to red when mature. Underneath the surface, the flesh is crisp and aqueous, encasing a narrow cavity filled with small white membranes and round and flat, cream-colored seeds. Fresh Italian Long Sweet chile peppers have a mild, sweet flavor with little to no spice, and when cooked, they develop a complex, smoky-sweet taste.

Seasons/Availability

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are available in the summer through fall.

Current Facts

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are a mild, sweet variety from Italy that belongs to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Also commonly referred to as Italianelles or Italian Frying peppers, Italian Long Sweet chile peppers have a sweet taste when harvested in all stages of ripeness, including green, yellow, or red. The peppers range 0-100 SHU on the Scoville scale, which represents little to no heat, and they are most often used in their immature, green state for both raw and cooked culinary applications. There are many varieties of Italian peppers that may be labeled as Long Sweet peppers, and these peppers are primarily found in local markets through small farms and home gardeners.

Nutritional Value

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that can help build collagen in the body and boost the immune system. The peppers also contain some potassium, vitamin A, folate, manganese, and vitamin K.

Applications

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are best suited for both raw and cooked applications such as roasting, frying, and grilling. When fresh, the peppers can be blended into sauces and salsas, chopped into salads, diced for bruschetta, or layered onto sandwiches. The peppers can also be sliced and stirred into soups, mixed into pasta, sprinkled over pizza, or stuffed with fillings and roasted. In Italy, Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are popularly fried whole and served as a light, crisp side dish to cooked meats or as an appetizer served with cheeses. Italian Long Sweet chile peppers pair well with cheeses such as mozzarella, fontina, romano, gruyere, gouda, feta, and parmesan, cauliflower rice, garlic, onions, herbs such as basil, thyme, and parsley, tomatoes, and meats such as sausage, prosciutto, poultry, and beef. Fresh peppers will keep up to one week when stored whole and unwashed in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

In the Campanian region of Italy, Italian Long Sweet peppers are a favorite appetizer served at vendemmia, or the annual grape harvest each fall. During the day, families and whole villages will work together to harvest grapes from the vines for winemaking, and at night, they will hold gatherings around woodfire ovens and campfires to celebrate good food and drink the previous year’s wine. During the celebration, Italian Long Sweet peppers are traditionally stuffed with bread crumbs, cheeses, olives, garlic, tomatoes, rice, and meats. The roasted peppers can be served as a light vegetable pairing with heavier grilled meats such as sausage, beef, and poultry or they can be served as an appetizer with a fresh green salad.

Geography/History

Italian Long Sweet chile peppers were first grown in Italy, where they have been cultivated extensively for culinary use. Italian peppers are descendants of peppers originally from Central and South America and were brought to Europe via Spanish and Portuguese explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. Since their introduction, peppers have been grown for many years across Italy, and varieties have been bred for specific traits, like the sweet nature of the Italian Long Sweet chile pepper. The peppers were also brought to the United States in the early 20th century through Italian immigrants. Today Italian Long Sweet chile peppers are not commercially produced and can be found through small farms at farmer’s markets in Europe and the United States. The seeds are also available through online catalogs for home garden cultivation.