The Peruvian pepper plant arrived in Carmagnola at the beginning of the 20th century, introduced by the forward-thinking horticulturist Domenico Ferrero from Salsasio. Since then, four native varieties have been cultivated, both red and yellow: the square, with three or four points; the long or ox horn, very elongated and conical; the spinning top, similar to a heart; and the tumaticot, round and flattened at the poles like a tomato.
For more than sixty years, the vegetable has been celebrated at the end of summer with the Pepper Festival, which has become the National Pepper Fair of Carmagnola, the largest in Italy dedicated to an agricultural product. It is a veritable festival offering 10 days of gastronomic, cultural and artistic events and creative and engaging experiences for all the senses and for all age groups. To best enjoy Carmagnola peppers, they should be prepared raw in pinzimonio or roasted in the oven.
Traditional recipes include them in bagna caöda, as a side dish for roasts and boiled meats (in peperonata or sweet and sour), stuffed with minced meat, herbs and eggs, or preserved in oil or vinegar.