Pepperoncini Chile Pepper

A thin chile pepper that is 2 to 4 inches long with a green wrinkled skin that turns red when mature. The Italian pepperoncini is a sweet pepper that is crunchy and somewhat bitter in taste, while the Greek pepperoncini, known as a "golden pepper", has a sweeter flavor. Both peppers are mildly hot and when dried and pickled, have a slightly salty flavor, which can be decreased by rinsing the pepper in water. The Italian peppers are also known as Tuscan peppers, since they originated in the Tuscany region of Italy. Also known as "peperoncini," this pepper is often served as an appetizer or as a complement to a Greek salad.