peperoncino

Peperoncino (; : peperoncini) is the generic Italian name for a hot chili pepper, specifically some regional cultivars of the species Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens (chili pepper and Tabasco pepper, respectively). (The suffix "ino" means smaller; the larger sweet bell pepper is called peperone (: peperoni) in Italian.) Like most chili peppers, the fruit is green or yellowish-green when young, and ripens to a red colour.

==History== The peperoncino probably came to Italy around the 15th century, when southern Italy was under Spanish dominion. It was likely an export from the new world among other plants new to Europe, such as the tomato. Like the tomato, the peperoncino was first considered a decorative and possibly poisonous plant before it was adopted into Italian cuisine. It might have become popular as a food long before the cookbooks attest to its use; these cookbooks were written for the upper classes, while the peperoncino was a cheap and convenient food for the lower classes.