The Peperone Crusco di Senise IGP arrives at McDonald's

When a small local excellence makes it onto a big international menu, it is always good news.
It happened with one of the most crunchy (and beloved) symbols of the Basilicata: the Peperone Crusco di Senise PGI, star of the new McDonald's sandwich.

Yes, you read that right. The crusco has even made it to fast food.

A novelty that makes us smile with satisfaction and that we want to tell you about from another point of view: that of the people who grow, dry, fry and package the crusco pepper every day with passion and respect for tradition.

From field to sandwich: an all-Lucanian story

That the crusco of Senise being in the spotlight today makes us very happy.
This pepper, grown in a handful of municipalities in Lucania, has become a small ambassador of Italian taste.

Its sweetness, thin texture and ability to become crispy with a simple frying make it irresistible.
And it is precisely this versatility that has brought it all the way to a McDonald's sandwich, where it is served in a sauce inspired by its flavour.

A good opportunity to make it known also to those who, until yesterday, had never heard of it.

But what really is a Peperone Crusco di Senise PGI?

The peperone crusco is much more than an ingredient.
It is a ritual, a peasant story, a technique handed down through generations.

Everything starts with a variety that is typical of the area, poor in water and naturally sweet. The peppers are harvested by hand, tied in long “serte” and left slow drying in the sun, in the open air.

When they are light and fragile, they are fried for a few seconds in boiling oil: that is where the crusco is born. Crunchy, fragrant, unique.

Fast food and tradition: two ways of telling the same story

The arrival of crusco in a chain like McDonald's is a positive sign: it means that the quality of local production is also recognised internationally.

Yet, each context tells a different nuance of the same ingredient.

On the one hand, there is the quick and accessible version, designed to bring Lucanian taste to a wider audience, perhaps to intrigue those who do not know Basilicata.
On the other, there is the craftsmanship of those who - like us - cultivates crusco in its natural environment, with patience and respect, to offer an authentic experience, linked to the land and its rhythms.

Tenuta Padì's cruschi: crunchy, authentic, Lucanian

From Tenuta Padì, we cultivate and process the Peperone Crusco di Senise PGI in full respect of tradition:

• 🌱 Natural cultivation, in the open field, without forcing
  
• ☀️ Slow drying in the sun, in the air, as they used to do
  
• 🍳 Fast frying in quality oil, to obtain crispness without altering the taste
  
• 🤲 Careful packaging, without preservatives or additives
  

The result is a crusco true, fragrant, genuine, which can be enjoyed on its own as a snack or used in cooking to add a special touch to any dish.

The crusco has become famous. But the original is still here.

We are proud that our 'peperone crusco' has come so far.
But let's not forget where it comes from: the fields of Senise, the patient hands of farmers, the oil sizzling in a Lucanian frying pan.

That is why, at Tenuta Padì, we will continue to make them how they used to be made.
Because the crusco, before ending up in sandwiches, is finished in the heart of those who truly love their land.

Do you want to hear the crack you too?

The crusco has gone pop, it is true.
But here it remains a classic

Where to use the crusco pepper?

The beauty of the crusco lies in its simplicity. Just a few seconds in the frying pan and you're done.

Here is how you can use it:

• Like crunchy snack alternative to chips
  
• Crumbled on pasta, risottos, soups
  
• Alongside cheese, cold cuts or grilled meat
  
• On eggs, soups, legumes or even just on a bruschetta
  

👉 Discover our Peperoni Cruschi di Senise PGI

An ingredient that combines tradition and innovation

Today, the crusco travels, changes shape, reaches new audiences.
But it remains, for those who really know it, a product linked to the agricultural craftsmanship, the southern sun, the slow pace of the countryside.

That is why, while we applaud those who promote it in different contexts, we want to continue to tell about it the original soul.

Do you want to discover the taste of authentic crusco?

If the sandwich has intrigued you, great: now is the right time to taste crusco in its purest form.👉 Buy now the Cruschi peppers of Tenuta Padì
and brings home a flavour that tells of the sun, land and culture of a region