Hot Paprika Flakes

“Boukovo” is the Balkan variety of paprika but is made exclusively from hot red peppers which are dried, think sliced and crushed or flaked rather than ground. These peppers are similar to cayenne and used whole, dried or pickled, in Szechuan dishes.

Boukovo peppers are rich in Vitamin A while red pepper is considered an aphrodisiac because it contains capsaicin that increases the flow of blood throughout the body. Its spicy flavor is the contained in its seeds which aren’t removed but dried and included in the mix.

Boukovo is used in Italian cuisine and is so common that a shaker full of hot red pepper flakes is often placed on the table next to the salt and pepper shakes in restaurants.

Use during cooking or sprinkle over a dish, for example pizza, after cooking for extra flavor. Try a few flakes in bean soup or on fried sausages.