sausage . It is also used in dishes of other regional cuisines of Southern and Central Italy, such as the Roman-style arrabbiata sauce and the Apulian "orecchiette alle cime di rapa" (orecchiette pasta with broccoli rabe). While most crushed red pepper (a common component of spicy Italian-style cuisine and frequently sprinkled on pizza and other dishes) in North America is today made from cayenne or jalapeño peppers common in that region, some specialty markets there supply imported Italian red peperoncino flakes. Culture Since 1992 the annual Peperoncino Festival has been held in the town of Diamante in Calabria. Organized by the Accademia Italiana del Peperoncino, the festival now attracts tens of thousands of visitors. It is held for four days surrounding the first weekend of September on the town's seaside promenade. The festival has a large market where local food products made with peperoncini are sold, and hosts a peperoncino-eating contest. Calabrian chili oil is a popular international export. See also Italian cuisine Notes References Sources External links Accademia Italiana del Peperoncino Cuisine of Calabria Chili peppers Capsicum cultivars Italian cuisine Cuisine of Abruzzo Cuisine of Apulia Cuisine of Molise Cuisine of Lazio Cuisine of Campania Cuisine of Sicily Cuisine of Basilicata