Urfa chilli pepper

How to Use Urfa Pepper in Cooking?

Urfa pepper, a variety of Capsicum annuum, is a "hot" pepper (4 on the Scoville scale) and is characterized by its fruity notes, similar to those of raisins, cocoa aromas, and subtle bitterness.

How to Use Urfa Pepper?

Here are some recipe ideas for using Urfa pepper in your cooking:

· Traditional Turkish Menemen scrambled eggs: sprinkle 3 pinches of Urfa pepper on your Menemen before serving;

· Baby potatoes with Urfa pepper: sprinkle 1 tablespoon of Urfa pepper on your baby potatoes during cooking;

· Pasta salad with Urfa pepper: sprinkle 1 pinch of Urfa pepper on your salad before enjoying;

·Marinated tomato bruschetta: add 1 teaspoon of Urfa pepper to your cherry tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of yuzu ponzu sauce.

The Aromas of Urfa Pepper

In terms of organoleptic properties, Urfa pepper is very similar to Aleppo pepper. Indeed, these two peppers have woody, warm, and fruity flavors, similar to those of tomato. They are also quite mild (4 on the Scoville scale). These two characteristics make them perfect for everyday cooking.

Urfa Pepper and Its Botany

Urfa pepper belongs to the Capsicum annuum species, which comes from the Solanaceae family, like its cousins, jalapeno pepper and chipotle pepper.

A source of pride in Turkey, this pepper is sometimes called Isot pepper, which is simply a contraction of ISI (which means to heat) and OT (which means herb). Its harvesting process is unique. After being picked, Urfa pepper is sun-dried for several days. Then, it is packaged to allow it to sweat and give it its smoky and hot flavor.

Turkish Pepper, a Favorite of Top Chefs

Urfa pepper was initially cultivated by the Kurds in Turkey in Urfa, from which it takes its name. This city was at the crossroads of the commercial routes used for spices, located 40 km from the border with Syria.

This pepper is one of the favorite ingredients of chef Yotam Ottolenghi, who often mentions it in his recipes!