Most people like a good chili, especially if it's going on a pizza, and as always, the quality of the chili is essential.
In Italy, everyone knows that the best chili is made in Calabria, located in the southern part of the country just before Sicily. If you dig a bit deeper, everyone in Calabria knows that the best chili is made in a region called Spilinga. Though, that's getting involved in some serious food nerding.
We, at Lilla Napoli, love chili, so it felt natural to put together this guide where we cover what we think you should know. At the end, we also feature our different chili products that are Lilla Napoli-certified :)
Why is the best chili made in Calabria?
One key reason Calabria produces such damn tasty chili is their perfect climate and soil. There's plenty of sun, fertile earth, abundant water, proximity to the sea, a long growing season, and the list goes on. In other words, all the right conditions.
We have to give credit to the Calabrian farmers too who are extremely skilled at what they do. Chili has been grown there for quite a long time, so they have generations of experience and immense pride. Passion seems to be the common thread when it comes to great food, wouldn't you say?
Calabrian Chili - Flavor Profile and Appearance
As we've said many times, it's always hard to describe taste - you'll need to experience things yourself to understand why something is special. But we can at least give it a try!
Calabrian chili simply tastes very strong. The flavor is also a bit fruity and overall very well balanced. We usually say it's easy to find a spicy chili, but finding one that's delicious too, now that's a challenge.
Chili from Calabria are often relatively small, perhaps that's why they have so much flavor? They're very colorful and definitely visually appealing. Although not the most important, it's nice when your pizza becomes extra beautiful :)
The "walls" of the chili are quite thin, but the inside is meaty and juicy. We would describe the heat as moderate to quite strong. There are definitely hotter chilies out there, but you won't want to use too much right away if you're sensitive to heat.
Chili on pizza
So, now for the important part. Chili on pizza may not be something many people use often, but it's unquestionably worth a try. Chili both enhances other flavors and is delicious in itself.
You can often find Pizza Diavola at Neapolitan pizzerias, and it's likely to have some chili on it. Another delicious combination is chili and bell pepper with some other delicacies. With the bell pepper, tomato sauce, and chili, you get a perfect combination of salt and sweetness in every bite.
Of course, you can optionally add a bit of chili to any pizza you like to try something new. Margherita, Salsiccia, you name it.
Lilla Napoli's chili from Tuttocalabria
Peperoncini Piccanti (whole chili) - Tuttocalabria
If you want really good whole chili, you need not look any further. This chili from Tuttocalabria hails from chili nirvana - Spilinga. It tastes great, has a pleasant heat, and it has a noticeable sour taste which is quite unique. Nothing to complain about here.
Peperoncini Piccanti in Pezzi (chopped chili) - Tuttocalabria
This chili is the same as the one above, but it's pre-chopped instead. Tuttocalabria's pre-chopped chili can be spread directly on your pizza (unless you need very tiny pieces due to sensitivity).
This chili is great for maintaining the flow we always talk about. If you've already forgot why it's great, it tastes really good, has just the right heat, and has a pleasing sour taste.
Chili Flakes from Spilinga - Tuttocalabria
Since we think Tuttocalabria's regular chili is the tastiest, it's no surprise that we also have their chili flakes as our favorite. There's not much to talk about here except that we've not tasted better chili flakes than these. They simply do the job well.
Hot Honey - Tuttocalabria
This is something many probably don't know about. Tuttocalabria's Hot Honey was discovered by us through the world-famous New York pizzerias Paulie Gee and Roberta’s who use it. It's