In Puglia, chili pepper is not a secondary ingredient. It’s a statement.
Some people put it on everything. Some add it at the last minute. Some always keep a jar open on their kitchen counter.
A whole jar that finishes too soon.
In the heart of the Tavoliere, the Iaculli family produces preserves under the brand "La Cerignola di una volta." Spicy line: round chili peppers, hand-stuffed one by one.
Inside is tuna with capers, garlic, and parsley. The chili peppers make up 42% of the jar, the tuna 20%. In sunflower oil with white wine vinegar: the preserve stays clean, while the heat and the filling remain the stars.
Serve them like this: as an appetizer with a glass of red wine, on bread, or alongside a board of cured meats and caciocavallo cheese.
- Producer: Mario, La Cerignola di una volta, in the heart of the Apulian Tavoliere
- Net weight: 550g
- Ingredients: chili peppers, tuna, sunflower oil, white wine vinegar, capers, garlic, parsley, salt, spices, antioxidant E300
- Storage: cool, dry place; after opening, keep refrigerated and covered with oil
- Jar: glass
How spicy are they? — Medium heat: the round chili pepper used for stuffing is bold but not extreme, and the tuna filling balances it out. Suitable for the table, not a challenge.
How are they served? — At room temperature, drained. As an appetizer, on crostini, or on a board with cured meats and cheeses.
Who produces them? — The Iaculli family in Cerignola (Foggia), under the brand "La Cerignola di una volta," next to the family olive mill that has been active for over 50 years. The stuffing is done by hand.
How long do they last after opening? — In the refrigerator, with the chili peppers always covered in oil, within a few days.
