Pasilla

Not to be confused with poblano.
Pasilla
Two pasilla chiles
SpeciesCapsicum annuum
Heat Low
Scoville scale1,000–3,999 SHU
Fresh dark brown chilaca peppers
A fresh poblano pepper, often sold under the name 'pasilla' north of Mexico

The pasilla chile (/ˌpɑːˈsiːjə/ pah-SEE-yuh) or chile negro is the dried form of the chilaca chili pepper,[1] a long and narrow member of the species Capsicum annuum. Named for its dark, wrinkled skin (literally "little raisin"),[2] it is a mild to hot, rich-flavored chile. As dried, it is generally 6 to 8 inches (15 to 20 cm) long and 1 to 1+1⁄2 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) in diameter.

The fresh narrow chilaca can measure up to 9 inches (230 mm) long and often has a twisted shape, which is seldom apparent after drying. It turns from dark green to dark brown when fully mature.[3]

In the United States, producers and grocers sometimes incorrectly use "pasilla" to describe the poblano, a different, wider variety of pepper, the dried form of which is called an ancho.[4][5]

  1. ^ Jean Andrews (January 1995). Peppers: the domesticated Capsicums. University of Texas Press. p. 111. ISBN 978-0-292-70467-1. Retrieved 9 March 2010.
  2. ^ Rombauer, I, et al. (1997). The Joy of Cooking, pp. 399–402, New York: Scribner. ISBN 0-684-81870-1
  3. ^ Andrews, Jean (2005). The peppers cookbook: 200 recipes from the pepper lady's kitchen. Denton, Tex: University of North Texas Press. p. 16. ISBN 1-57441-193-4. Retrieved 2012-10-08.
  4. ^ "Pasilla vs. Poblano". Fiery-Foods.com. Archived from the original on 2010-11-24.
  5. ^ "Pepper, chili". CHOW. CBS Interactive.