Cherry Bombs: The Hot Cherry Peppers That'll Elevate Any Italian Dish

If you aren't familiar with using hot cherry peppers in your dishes, you're missing out on one of the most delicious spicy elements available on store shelves. Whole hot cherry peppers, appropriately referred to as "cherry bombs," are spicy cherry peppers that are pickled in vinegar, then jarred; they're available at almost any standard grocery store and are usually nestled near other types of pickled peppers, such as jalapeños and pepperoncini.

Different peppers emit different flavors and spice levels, which is why the type of pepper you use in your dish varies depending on the type of cuisine you're preparing. If you're whipping up some tacos, you might want to use poblanos or jalapeños. Chile peppers are popular in Asian dishes, and piquillo peppers are great for Spanish recipes. However, if you're doing some Italian cooking, you'll want to reach for the cherry bomb — and once you do, you won't look back.

It's certainly possible to grow cherry peppers on your own, but if you don't have much of a green thumb, you'll usually find them pickled in a jar. Cherry peppers are incredibly hot on their own, but you can pick out some of the seeds to tone down that spiciness just a bit — but trust that you'll still get plenty of heat, so they should be used in moderation.

Interestingly, these peppers have a slightly sweet element that hits as soon as you bite into them; it lasts just a moment before the intense spice hits. On the Scoville Scale, cherry peppers range from 2,500 to 5,000 units, which is just behind the heat level of a fresh jalapeño pepper. That slightly sweet element pairs perfectly with a number of Italian delicacies, including Italian meats and cheeses; the peppers can be stuffed whole, used in an Italian salad, or even crushed and used as a spread on something like an Italian sub.

Aside from the perfect Italian sandwich spread, cherry bombs can be stuffed and served as the perfect appetizer or side dish. Though whole cherry peppers are quite spicy, they pair well with prosciutto and provolone. Take a cube of provolone cheese, then roll a slice of prosciutto around the cube. Stuff the prosciutto and provolone inside the cherry pepper (you can soak the peppers or run them under cold water to reduce the spice even further before stuffing, if desired), and then brush a crushed garlic and olive oil mixture onto the pepper's exterior. The end result is *chef's kiss.*

Cherry bombs also work well when they're sliced and sautéed; slicing them helps to distribute their heat more evenly throughout a dish. Toss them with garlic and olive oil, and add them to any pasta dish. The peppers also make a great addition to a charcuterie board; you can stuff them with a cheese mixture, or place a few tablespoons of crushed peppers in a ramekin, which guests can then use to spread onto crostini and pair with a sweet jam and cheese.