Crushed red pepper

Crushed red pepper

Crushed red pepper or red pepper flakes (RPF) or Red Chilli cutter is a condiment consisting of dried and crushed (as opposed to ground) red chili peppers.

This condiment is most often produced from cayenne-type peppers, although commercial producers may use a variety of different cultivars, all within the 30,000-50,000 Scoville Unit range.

Crushed red pepper shakers have become as standard as salt and pepper on tables at Italian style restaurants and especially pizza parlors in the United States. Often there is a high ratio of seeds, which some people mistakenly believe intensifies the heat of this flavorful condiment. Crushed red pepper is used in pickling, chowders, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, soups and sausage.

Crushed red pepper is known as pul biber in Turkey and it is a very popular spice to add to foods. One variety of it is the Urfa pul biber (isot).

As chilis have become more popular, the varieties of peppers used to make crushed red pepper have also changed.