Tondo Calabrese

Description

In Calabria, round chilies like this one end up in jars: hollowed out, blanched briefly in vinegar, filled with tuna, capers and anchovy and covered with olive oil. Tondo Calabrese, simply “the round one from Calabria”, is the classic shape for the job. The pods are about 3–4 cm across, mostly round with the odd one drawn into a blunt little point, and they hang from the branches like small glossy cherries, green at first and then a deep, shiny red when ripe.

The walls are thick and juicy with a sweetish flavour, and the heat is a friendly medium, varying a little from pod to pod. Most of it sits in the pale membrane around the seeds, so a hollowed pod turns into a gentle edible cup while a whole one keeps more of its bite. Besides tuna, they take well to soft cheese or pecorino, and they are just as good pickled whole, sliced fresh or charred on the grill.

Plants are compact and bushy, usually 50–80 cm tall, and keep setting pods through the season. A pot of around 10 litres is enough, and a sunny greenhouse or a warm, sheltered balcony is the place for them in a northern summer. For stuffing, Calabrian cooks often pick the pods just before they colour, when the flesh is at its firmest; leave the rest on the plant to redden and sweeten.

Some chilies are worth tasting before you grow them. → Explore the Vault

Each pack contains approximately 8–10 or more seeds per variety.
Seeds are packaged in a certified EU seed packaging facility in accordance with applicable regulations.

Categories: Chili Seeds , C. annuum , Medium , Easy to grow , Ornamental , Newsletter