Calabrian bomba, the original recipe

The Calabrian bomba is a traditional spicy sauce for seasoning various recipes. The name says it all: if you love strong flavors, try it now.

The Calabrian bomba, also called Calabrian piccantino, is a typical recipe that has now also become known abroad. It is a very spicy sauce based on chillies which is further enriched with seasonal vegetables. There are many variations of this spicy bomb which concern not only the use of vegetables, but also the quantity of chilli which will make the preserve more or less "challenging".

If you want to dare, it will also be possible to make this recipe with just chillies… a real BOMB! However, it remains a very versatile sauce in the kitchen : you can season bread, bruschetta, pasta, cheese, salads, meat or pizza with it. In short, once discovered it certainly won't be missing from your pantry!

Let's find out how to make Calabrian spicy!

Preparation of the Calabrian bomb recipe

1. Clean the peppers, remove the stalk, the white parts, the seeds and slice them. Remove the internal filaments and cut into cubes .
2. Wash aubergines, carrots and celery and cut them into small pieces too. Do the same with the chili peppers after removing their stems.
3. Take a bowl and leave and arrange the vegetables in layers , sprinkling each with coarse salt.
4. Cover the bowl and leave to rest for 1 day .
5. After the time has elapsed, squeeze the vegetables well which in the meantime will have released all their liquid.
6. Dry them well and put them back in a bowl, covering them with white vinegar and leaving them to rest for 3 hours .
7. Squeeze the vegetables again, drying them well with a cloth. Leave them wrapped in the cloth to completely absorb the humidity.
8. Take a bowl, pour in the vegetables and add the coarsely chopped anchovies. Cover with oil and leave to rest for 1 week .
9. Stir every day and add oil if necessary.
10. At the end of the week, transfer your macerated mixture into washed and sterilized jars .
11. Screw the jars tightly and store them in a cool, dry place.
12. Your Calabrian bomb is ready!

You can also add dried tomatoes and mushrooms in oil to the mixture. The super spicy version involves only the use of chili peppers, garlic and parsley.

For a stronger flavor we used extra virgin olive oil, but if you want you can use seed oil : in this case the preservation time will be shorter, so consume your Calabrian bomb in a short time!

Conservation

This preserve can last up to 1 year . When you open the jars, add some oil before closing, pressing the lid firmly when closing.

Try another Calabrian specialty now… the recipe for chilli cream !