Pasilla Chili Flakes

Pasilla chilis are beloved for their sweetness and warm, rich heat. "Pasilla" means "little raisin" in Spanish, and the name refers to their rich, dark skins and earthy flavor. Purplish-brown on the outside and red on the inside when fresh, they dry up smoky-sweet, with notes of cocoa and cherries.

Grown by Fire Tongue Farms in the Central Valley, outside a town called Woodland, the chilis are able to ripen to full maturity so they develop their full flavor profile, and the fruity-smoky taste comes about naturally during the dehydration process (they are not smoked). Milder than a Jalapeño, these are the perfect everyday chili flake.

Pasillas are essential to many Mexican dishes. They are used in mole, enchilada sauce and salsas, and their nutty flavor is also welcome in stews, tomato sauces, chili, marinades for meat and mushrooms, and roasted vegetables. They are dried low and slow, and the flakes have all the fruitiness of a fresh red pepper. They are perfect as a garnish, too: simply sprinkle on anything that needs a little extra warmth.

Who Made It: Burlap & Barrel partner directly with smallholder farmers to source spices that have never been available to the US before and help improve the livelihoods of their partner farmers. Their spices come from farms from the most passionate & knowledgeable spice farmers (and foragers) in the world.

Ingredients: Capsicum annuum v. Pasilla

Process: Sun-dried & ground

Heat Level: 1,000-4,000 Scoville units

Cooking Suggestions

• Make enchilada sauce or mole.
• Sprinkle over a salad of corn, tomatoes and white onion.
• Use in place of fresh pasilla or poblano peppers.

Produced by farmers in Santa Cruz, California

Sourcing: Ryan and Levon of Fire Tongue Farms specialize in growing chili peppers of all shapes and sizes, and they are dedicated to maintaining a healthy environment on and around their farmland, rotating between grazing sheep and growing peppers. You can taste the difference! Their work builds healthy soil, prevents erosion, protects wildlife habitats and conserves water and other resources. Learn more at firetonguefarm.com