The small town of Altino, on a rocky spur looking out over the Aventino Valley, gives its name to small, horn-shaped peppers, bright red in color, also known as a cocce capammonte (“with the head up”) because the fruits grow pointing upwards. When ripe, they are picked and then strung together with a needle and thread to make a long chain known as a crollo. The peppers are left to air-dry for several days then toasted in the oven for a few minutes or quickly dipped in boiling oil. At this point they can be crumbled over pasta, salt cod, vegetables or pork.
The dried peppers, which have a characteristic sweet flavor, can also be ground in typical mortars called piloni. The resulting powder is used in pasta sauces or to season cured meats, like Vastese ventricina. It can also be used to give a vivid red color to homemade pasta and bread dough. The origins of this pepper, locally known as paesanello, probably lie in Eastern Europe and the introduction of paprika from the Balkans by the Slavic peoples who settled in the province of Chieti in the 15th century. This could also be the origin of the custom of grinding the pepper into a powder, characteristic of Eastern Europe.
Season
Peppers are harvested from the first ten days of August when the berries reach the typical red color. Dried are available all year round.
Production area
Altino, Archi, Perano, Roccascalegna, Casoli, Sant’Eusanio del Sangro and Atessa municipalities, Chieti province
Presidium supported by
Gal Maiella Verde
Aca Agrolearia
Contrada Briccioli, 1
Altino (Ch)
Tel. +39 335 404653
aca.altino@gmail.com
www.peperonedolcedialtino.eu
Az. Agr. Cericola Jary
Via Colle Caringi, 10
Paglieta (Ch)
Tel. 391 3196217
aziendaagricolacericolajary@yahoo.com
Az. Agr. Villa Vecchia
Via Quadroni, 205
Perano (Ch)
Tel. 335 6490042
info@villavecchia.eu
Claudio D’alonzo
Via Benedetto Croce, 208
Altino (Ch)
Tel. +39 334 1944754
claudio.dalonzo1983@gmail.com
Fior di Maiella
di Mirko Di Crescenzo
Zona Industriale Ovest
Casoli (Ch)
Tel. +39 328 4113428
info@fiordimaiella.it
www.fiordimaiella.it
Hortogarden
di Anna D’alonzo
Via Nazionale, 161
Archi (Ch)
Tel. +39 347 4690265
hortogarden@gmail.com
La Regina
di Franco Di Lallo
Via Bachelet, 26
Altino (Ch)
Tel. +39 346 5119989
info@peperonedolcedialtino.com
La Tavola dei Briganti
di Donatello D’Alonzo
Via Benedetto Croce, 117
Altino (Ch)
Tel. +39 333 6650118
info@tavolabriganti.it
www.tavolabriganti.it
Terra Fonte
di Annamaria D’Alonzo
Via Briccioli, 24
Altino (Ch)
Tel. +39 348 2108834
dalonzoannamaria@gmail.com
www.aziendaagricolaterrafonte.it
Domenico D’Orazio
Contrada Sant’angelo, 24
Altino (Ch)
Tel.+39 333 7425829
appaaltino@gmail.com
www.produttoripeperonedialtino.com
Domenico Di Biase
Contrada Cotti, 47
Sant’Eusanio del Sangro (Ch)
Tel. +39 333 9293678
domenicodibiase67@gmail.comP
Bruno Scaglione
Tel. +39 337 912814
brunoscaglione51@gmail.com
Producers’ Coordinator
Domenico D’Orazio
Tel. +39 333 7425829
peperonedolcedialtino@gmail.com