Peperone Crusco di Senise IGP — the crispy red gold of Basilicata
The Peperone Crusco di Senise IGP Don Gustavo by Casata del Lago is a 100 g display bag of whole, naturally dried Senise IGP peppers, ready to be flash-fried into the legendary "crusco": a glassy, crispy, naturally sweet pepper that shatters like a chip. Single ingredient: 100% Senise IGP peppers, no preservatives, EAN 8068057131858. A signature product of Lucanian cuisine for restaurants, pizzerias, delicatessens and gourmet retail.
What is a peperone crusco
"Crusco" means "crispy" in the Lucanian dialect. The starting point is the Peperone di Senise, a sweet pepper with very thin flesh and an exceptionally low water content. After harvesting, the peppers are threaded by hand into long garlands called "serte" and dried naturally. Once dried, a few seconds in hot extra virgin olive oil turn them into crunchy, ruby-red wafers with an intense, sweet and slightly smoky flavour — no heat and no bitterness when fried correctly.
A protected origin: Senise and the IGP designation
The Peperone di Senise obtained the EU Protected Geographical Indication (IGP) in 1996. The designation covers a defined area of Basilicata around Senise, in the province of Potenza, where soil and microclimate give the pepper its thin flesh, low moisture and high natural sweetness — the exact characteristics that make traditional drying and the "crusco" effect possible. Only peppers grown and processed in this area may carry the IGP seal printed on this pack.
The producer: Casata del Lago, Senise (Potenza)
Azienda Agricola Casata del Lago srl grows its peppers in Contrada Pianizzi, Senise, on the shores of Lake Monte Cotugno, in the heart of the IGP area. The farm combines the traditional cultivation of the Senise pepper with modern precision-agriculture techniques and also produces extra virgin olive oil and saffron. The Don Gustavo line brings the whole dried Senise IGP pepper to professional kitchens exactly as tradition demands: whole, naturally dried and ready to fry.
How to prepare it: the chef's technique
Remove the stalk and seeds, then fry the whole dried peppers in extra virgin olive oil at about 170 °C for 10-20 seconds, turning once: they must sizzle, swell and darken slightly without burning. Drain immediately on paper and salt lightly — they crisp up as they cool. The same pepper can also be crumbled raw into flakes or powder to season oil, pasta and sauces.
Professional uses and traditional recipes
- Baccalà alla lucana: the iconic pairing — poached salt cod with fried cruschi and their frying oil.
- Pasta con mollica e cruschi: spaghetti tossed with toasted breadcrumbs, garlic and crumbled crusco.
- Gourmet pizza and focaccia: crumbled crusco added after baking for colour, crunch and sweetness.
- Tasting boards and antipasti: whole fried cruschi served like vegetable chips with cured meats and cheeses.
- Toppings: crusco flakes over velvety soups, risottos, tartares and grilled fish.
Storage and packaging
Transparent 100 g bag with cardboard header and eyelets, ready for counter or rack display. Store in a cool, dry place away from light and humidity; once opened, keep the bag well closed. As a naturally dried product it requires no cold chain.
Delivery and logistics in Switzerland
B2B and B2C delivery in Switzerland from the LAPA warehouse in Embrach (Zurich). Direct distribution with the LAPA fleet across Zurich, Winterthur, Bülach, Aargau, St. Gallen, Lucerne, Bern and Basel. For Ticino (Lugano, Bellinzona), French-speaking Switzerland (Geneva, Lausanne, Fribourg) and Graubünden (Chur, Davos) shipping within 24-48 hours with partner couriers (Swiss Post, Planzer, Galliker). Ambient product, ideal for stock orders.
Who is it for
Italian restaurants and trattorias, gourmet pizzerias, delicatessens and Italian grocery stores, hotels, catering services and private customers who want to bring authentic Lucanian tradition to the table. With the Don Gustavo display bag, the crusco also works as a high-margin impulse product at the counter.
