Capsicum annuum.
The corno di toro — "bull's horn" in Italian — is one of the most emblematic sweet peppers of Italian cooking, selected over centuries in the gardens of northern Italy (especially Piedmont and Lombardy) for its long, distinctive shape, slightly curved like the horn it's named after. Tapered, imposing fruits 20-25 cm long, with thick, meaty walls, passing through every shade from green to deep red (the Rosso variety) or bright golden yellow (the Giallo variety) as they ripen. It is probably the most versatile and generous pepper you can grow: thick, crunchy, juicy flesh, intensely sweet at full maturity, and size enough for a single fruit to make a dish.
Its silhouette is built for Mediterranean fire cooking: grilled whole on the BBQ until the skin blackens, then peeled and drizzled with olive oil, garlic and oregano as antipasto; split in two, hollowed out and stuffed with breadcrumbs, anchovies and capers Neapolitan-style; cut into strips and simmered with tomatoes, onions and olives as Sicilian peperonata; or simply pan-fried in good olive oil until soft and caramelized. Raw, it's also an excellent pepper to snack on in sticks with a dip. Generous production — a well-established plant easily gives 10 to 15 large fruits per season.
Grower's tip: Like all peppers, the Corno di Toro wants heat and a long season — start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost, at 25-28 °C on a heat mat for uniform germination. Transplant only once nights have stabilized above 12 °C, never before. The fruits are long and heavy — stake loaded plants to prevent them from bending or breaking under the weight. Give the warmest spot available (south wall, sheltered garden) to maximize ripening to red or yellow before the first frosts. Harvest regularly — picking one fruit stimulates several more.
- Open-pollinated. Largely self-pollinating, but crosses possible with other nearby Capsicum annuum (peppers, other chilies); isolate or bag the flowers for seed saving.
- Height: 60-90 cm.
- Maturity: 70-75 days after transplant for green fruits, 85-95 days for full colour (red or yellow).
- Exposure: full sun, sheltered from wind.
- Rich, well-drained, warm soil. Space plants 50-60 cm apart.
- Start indoors 8-10 weeks before last frost. Transplant once all frost risk has passed (early June in Québec).
