La Biblioteca del Gusto
Volume 2 · Herb blend
Two ingredients, two regions. Sicilian oregano and crushed Calabrian chilli. This is the volume for pizza, bruschetta and tomato sauce.
In Sicily oregano is an everyday presence. It is the heart of salmoriglio, the sauce of oil, lemon and oregano served with grilled fish and meat. In Calabria chilli plays the same role: in Diamante, on the Tyrrhenian coast, a festival has been dedicated to it since 1992.
This volume puts the two traditions on the same page. On one side the aroma, on the other the heat.
Sicilian oregano grows wild on the hills and in the Nebrodi mountains, on sunny, stony ground. It is harvested in flower, in summer, and dried. Once dried, its aroma becomes more intense.
Calabrian chilli is Capsicum annuum. Here it is crushed, that is, coarsely broken: it is not a fine powder, so it stays visible and crunchy to the bite.
Aromatic and lively. The oregano comes first, with its warm, herbaceous note. The chilli follows, with a clean heat that is not aggressive. It is at its best at the end of cooking, on finished dishes.
Just two ingredients, both Italian and stated on the label with their origin. The chilli is in pieces, not powder: you can see it.
