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Bomba Calabrese (Spicy Calabrian Pepper Spread)

This amazing Calabrian pepper spread is as delicious as it is unknown. I love it on sliced fresh bread, but you can toss it with pasta, add it to a sandwich, fill an omelet, top a pizza, or serve as salsa with grilled fish, or in deviled eggs.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 32 people
Calories 1993.2 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Food Processor Essential for finely chopping vegetables and peppers without liquefying them.
  • 1 Large Skillet For cooking down the vegetable and pepper mixture.
  • 1 Protective Gloves Crucial for handling hot peppers like habaneros and cherry peppers to prevent skin irritation.
  • 1 Chef's knife For initial trimming and preparing ingredients.
  • 1 Cutting Board For safe and efficient preparation of ingredients.

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 4 large button mushrooms quartered
  • ½ yellow onion chopped
  • 1 small eggplant - trimmed peeled, cut into chunks
  • ¾ cup olive oil or more as needed, divided
  • 1 pinch kosher salt plus more as needed
  • 2 pounds hot cherry peppers
  • 1 pound red bell peppers
  • 3 habanero peppers
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar or to taste

Instructions
 

  • Place mushrooms, onion, and eggplant into bowl of a food processor. Pulse on and off until very finely chopped but not liquefied, 8 to 10 pulses.
  • Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil into a skillet. Transfer mushroom mixture to skillet over medium-high heat. Add a large pinch of salt. Cook until mixture is soft, stirring, about 10 minutes.
  • Cut off tops of cherry peppers; discard stems but save the ring of pepper around it. (Do wear protective gloves for this.) Cut the peppers in half and remove the seed pods. Shake out the rest of the seeds. Prep the bell peppers and habanero peppers the same way. Place all peppers in bowl of food processor. Pulse on and off until peppers are very finely chopped, but not liquefied. Transfer peppers to eggplant-onion-mushroom mixture in skillet. Add remaining olive oil. Cook and stir over medium-high heat, reducing heat as needed if mixture looks like it may brown. Add fennel seeds, oregano, and a pinch of salt. Cook until peppers are sweet and tender, 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
  • Stir in white wine vinegar and (optionally) another tablespoon of olive oil. Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and cool to room temperature. Taste for seasonings, adding more salt, a splash of vinegar, and/or olive oil, if needed. Transfer to jars. Store in refrigerator. Chef John

Notes

1. **Pepper Handling**: Always use gloves when seeding and processing hot peppers like habaneros and cherry peppers. The capsaicin oil is potent and can cause severe skin and eye irritation.2. **Texture is Key**: When using the food processor, pulse in short bursts to achieve a finely chopped, not puréed, consistency. This spread benefits from a slight textural bite.3. **Flavor Depth**: Don't rush the cooking process. Allowing the peppers to slowly soften and sweeten over medium-high heat is crucial for developing their complex flavors and reducing their raw pungency. Adjust heat to prevent browning.4. **Acidity & Oil Balance**: The white wine vinegar brightens the spread and balances the heat. Taste and adjust to your preference. A generous amount of good quality olive oil not only aids in cooking but also contributes to the spread's richness and acts as a natural preservative.5. **Enhancement**: For an even deeper, sweeter flavor, consider lightly roasting the bell peppers and eggplant before processing. This caramelizes their sugars and adds a smoky nuance. A small amount of smoked paprika can also amplify this effect.