One of the best things I’ve tasted in the last 10 years!
By Ari Weinzweig
If you like spicy food, you will NOT want to miss this incredible jarred spread/sauce of amazing red peppers from the hills around Salerno in southern Italy. It’s so good, and so versatile, that, I’m not exaggerating, Tammie and I together have gone through a dozen quart jars in the last year! To be clear, that’s just the two of us, since we’re too introverted to entertain and the dogs obviously don’t eat it. The IASA peperoncino is that good.
About IASA
The small, family-owned firm of IASA (say “Ee-Yah-Sah”), which formally stands for Ittica Alimentare Salerno, was founded by Francesco di Mauro back in 1969. It was a big year in history—the first human walked on the moon, Richard Nixon and Pierre Elliott Trudeau came to office, Woodstock happened in upstate New York, Sesame Street debuted on national television, and the Stooges released their song “1969.” With all that going on, hardly anyone would have, understandably, taken note of a small anchovy curing company in the tiny coastal town of Cetara. Cetara is known for its fish—it’s been said for centuries to have the best seafood on the Amalfi coast. The name comes from cetaria, an ancient method for the local trapping of wild tuna. The town is also known for Colatura, the liquid that is drained off the barrels in which anchovies are cured. IASA also makes amazing anchovies and we have a few jars for sale at the Roadhouse. Like the peperoncino red peppers, all are hand-crafted and packed in olive oil.
About the Peperoncino
The feature of this piece, the IASA peperoncino, are equally excellent. I’ve tasted other versions of this sort of thing, but none of them come close to the excellence of the IASA. It’s made from a variety of pepper called “Amante” by locals; the word also means “lover,” which is exactly how I relate to these chopped Italian chiles. The fresh, brilliant crimson peppers are mashed to a coarse paste, mixed with olive oil, and left to macerate for a few months to develop many layers of complex flavors. I tasted them first in Florence at friend, importer, and author Rolando Beramendi’s apartment and I was hooked right off the bat. The peperoncino are fairly hot—not mind blowing like eating a habanero, but markedly more than mild. The IASA peperoncino has an exceptionally long finish and full flavor with a remarkable bit of umami in the mix.
The IASA peperoncino is a critical ingredient in what Italians call Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino—pasta with garlic, oil, and peppers. It’s a regular item in southern Italy for the same reason that it’s so popular at our house, and also, as you’ll see in this instructional video, at friend and food writer Elizabeth Minchilli’s. Of the pasta dish, Elizabeth says: “It’s what you have in the house when you come home from a long night out. It is also what you probably have in your cupboard when you have to get dinner on the table and there’s nothing else in the house. … These days we’re preferring preserved red pepper, processed at the height of the season from specific producers, over dried. It always gives a brighter, fruitier, and more intense flavor than dried.” In the 30 years or so that Elizabeth and I have been friends, we nearly always agree on culinary subjects, and this is no exception. Her top pick for peperoncino to keep in the pantry? You guessed it! It’s IASA!
How to enjoy the peperoncino at the Roadhouse
We have the IASA peperoncino at the Roadhouse, so that you can order a ramekin of it on the side. It’s awesome on a burger or really with anything else! I’d just order it to eat with Bakehouse bread. Add it to a Po’ Boy or a fried chicken sandwich instead of the very good New Mexico green chile ranch that comes with it. Dip some fried chicken or grilled shrimp. Excellent on an egg sandwich or spread on a steak! We also have the IASA for sale at the Roadhouse if you want to buy a jar to take home.
How I enjoy the peperoncino at home!
Some folks like to use the IASA peperoncino just a tiny bit at a time, but Tammie and I use it by the spoonful, and generously so at that. What do we do with it? You name it. My top choice is just to mix it with pasta—at the dinner Rolando did at the Roadhouse last month, we served it with the Rustichella spaghetti that’s made of heirloom Saragolla wheat (we have some of the Spaghetti at the Roadhouse and the Rigatoncini at the Deli). I just add a tiny bit more olive oil and grated cheese over the top. Sometimes I add tinned sardines and sautéed greens as well—they’re a perfect choice to pair with the IASA peperoncino. We also add the IASA to soups—brothy ones, bean soups, tomato soups, etc.—just drop a spoonful in the bowl when you’re about to eat. Spread some of the IASA peperoncino on grilled cheese sandwiches, or serve it with eggs or egg salad—a dab on deviled eggs is delicious! Put it on hot slices of pizza at the table. Add a bit to mashed potatoes, rice, avocados, or avocado toast. The options are essentially endless. Often, I’ll use the IASA peperoncino as my salad dressing simply by adding a spoonful straight into the bowl!