Hot Pepper Oil on Pizza
 

Do restaurants and pizzerias in Italy serve hot pepper oil for Pizza? We discovered this a few years ago in the South of France, and it was much better than sprinkling dried pepper flakes on pizza, like we do in the States.

Yes, definately. It is delicious.

Just ask the waiter for the oil. We do it all the time, no problem.

Thanks. Any idea as to how to ask for it in Italian?

Try Olio di Peperoncini, and do the pouring gesture over the pizza.

The waiter will get the idea - it is quite common. When he brings it, then ask him how you really say it in italian.

I just loved the Hot Pepper Oils when in Barcelona. I saw numerous bottles of different oils in a few cafes that were used on Pizza, as well as on breads for dipping. I tried to taste as many as possible. You have just reminded me that I want to buy some of these oils in the US, and use them on my Pizza at home. I saw a large variety of these oils in Spain more then Italy. However, they are in Italy as well.

When we were in France we bought some of the dried spices they use in the oil at a market and then just mixed them with olive oil when we got home. So we have our taste of France at home.

Hi Surfergirl,

just ask for "olio piccante". And it's HOT HOT HOT :)

Do you remember what the spices are? I tried to make it myself, just used the Thai hot red peppers . . . stuffed them in a small bottle, heated the olive oil, poured it over peppers, let sit for about 6 weeks. It's GREAT oil for cooking (use very sparingly) but doesn't taste quite right on pizza.

I, too, first had the hot oil in France! I would love to be able to make it.

Sandy (in Denton)

Hi,
please don't ask for it!!!!

I write you from Italy, beleave me I have never heard an Italian asking for hot pepper oil for its pizza.

In any case if you really want you can try, it's correct the translation "olio al peperoncino".

Good luck.
Ciao, arrivederci.

Gianni (Milan, Italy)

"When he brings it, then ask him how you really say it in italian."

LOL, this is the best advice I read on this forum!!

Gianni,
But it tastes soo good! Which begs the question, is there anything unique the Italians request by way of pizza topping? Most restaurants here have grated parmesan cheese, dried pepper flakes and oregano. What about in Italy?

You won't parmesan........My husband tried asking for it in Florence. The waiter was horrified and said not for pizza, pasta only. So my MIL tried to be sneaky and asked for some for her pasta. He brought it to her put in on her pasta himself and took it away!
It was pretty funny actually, one of those vacation moments!

I just came from a nice open concept restaurant (it's actually more of a cafe serving salads, sandwiches, coffees and desserts) here in the Bay Area. Our table was by the open pantry shelves and I saw a lot of large bottles of olio al pepperoncino on the shelves.
Evidently, these look to be easily available here in the States.

To be honest, I've never eaten pizza with either parmiggiano or hot pepper oil in Italy (nor anywhere else in Europe). European cuisine is never hot and spicy.
Parmiggiano is used on pasta. Sometimes, virgin olive oil is sprinkled on pizza.

Myriam,
That is exactly what this is, virgin olive oil with 2 or 3 cayenne peppers floating about in the bottle. Then it is sprinkled on the pizza. Its just another flavored olive oil.

It is not necessarily HOT, simply flavorful.

In Southern Italy, Calabria, they put a paste of hot pepper flakes & olive oil on everything.

Since I read this thread from Surfergirl, I am buying a bottle of "olio al Perreroncino" and add it to my next Pizza I have delivered. It will bring back fond food memories of when I was in Barcelona. I know various types of the flavored oil are available in the specialty food stores, this thread has reminded me to put that on my next shopping list. Any recommendations of a particular brand I should purchase?

Re brands of pepper oil: why not simply make your own? At least you'll know what's in it, you'll know how long it has been stored, you can make the quantity you want and then make more when you're ready.

Food in Italy is obviously very regional, so it's never going to be true that hot pepper is always/is never used in Italy. As AP said, hot pepper is very popular in Calabria. Food in some parts of the north is rather bland. Much of the regional Italian food that I know is intensely flavorful (because of herbs, full-flavored perfectly ripened vegetables, etc.) but not hot."

Hi all,

I made my own "holy oil" as Molto Mario calls it by adding a few dried chili peppers to EVOO and letting it sit.

You can use any peppers you want.

On our trip to Italy last fall, we were interested to find many Italians having French Fries with or on their pizza.

Ira -- French fries on Pizza?!

We can get it here at Cost Plus and other world market type stores. I was visiting a friend of mine in London last summer, and he had some, after he had also (coincidentally) had it in the south of France.

I was curious as to whether this had become a trend, since I've been using it ever since on pizza.