Capsicums, or peppers, are vegetables which originated in the Centre-South Americas (Brazil). The arrived in Europe with the Spanish in the first half of the XVI century A.D. These days, they are widespread over the world and they colour the dishes of many culinary traditions. They may be consumed raw or cooked. Various varieties of peppers exist and their flavour may even differ with the colour and the ripening stage of the vegetable: Yellow peppers are more tender and juicy; the green ones, not yet completely ripe, are excellent for preserving in jars; red peppers have a crunchier flesh and a sweeter flavour.
Botanically, the pepper is part of the solanaceae family and, more precisely of the Capsicum genus in which chilli peppers are also included. Indeed, peppers contain capsaicin, the main active ingredient responsible for piquancy. Obviously, in peppers (or in friggitelli or chilli peppers) the character giving capsaicin percentage concentrated in the pips or in the white part which acts as a “skeleton” (the so called placenta), is contained in digestible quantities such as only to make the taste pleasant on the palate.