Piquillo pepper

Stuffed piquillo peppers

The piquillo pepper is a variety of chili, capsicum annuum, having a sweet taste with no heat, fruits about 7 cm long, well suited for growing in pots, that is traditionally grown in Northern Spain near the town of Lodosa. Its name is derived from the Spanish for "little beak".

Preparation

Typically, the peppers are hand picked during two harvests between September and December. They are roasted over embers, which gives them a distinct sweet, spicy flavour, more akin to bell peppers than chilli peppers, despite their small size. They are then peeled and de-seeded by hand, before being packed into jars or tins for sale.

Piquillo Peppers are often stuffed with meat, seafood, or cheese, and served as tapas.

Nutrition

Piquillo peppers are high in Fiber, and Vitamins C, E, A, and B. In particular, their Vitamin C content is very high, comparable to a citrus fruit.