FOO CHILLI COMPANY: Nonna Piccante Chilli Oil – 220ml

The nonna they invented

Nonna Piccante means "spicy grandma", and she isn't anyone in particular — she's the idea. Most Italian chilli oil is olive oil, dried pepperoncino and not much else. The Foos wanted the same zing on their Italian nights that they'd built into the Asian jar, with the crunch and the complexity to match. This is what came out.

The flavour

Capers and olive oil open it — briny, green, unmistakably Italian. Then porcini rolls in underneath and does the heavy lifting: earthy, deeply savoury, the thing that makes people pick up the jar and read it. Thyme, oregano and fennel seed thread through the middle, peppercorn sharpens the edges, and the chilli builds late and settles in. The family reckon it's the spicier of the two. They're right.

How to cook with it

• Fork it straight through hot pasta with nothing but the cheese — dinner in four minutes, no apology required.
• Spoon it over burrata, or park the jar on a cheese board and let people wreck it themselves.
• Drizzle it into a frittata or omelette just before the top sets so the crunch survives the pan.
• Paint it across a finished pizza the second it leaves the oven — the residual heat blooms the oregano and fennel.
• Rogue move: a spoonful inside a cheese toastie before it goes in the press.

In the jar

The same squat glass jar, but the oil runs redder and greener at once — that's the Spanish olive oil in the mix — sitting over a heavy raft of shallot, chilli flake and mushroom. Dig from the bottom or you'll miss the point of it. Fridge after opening if you want to keep the crunch honest; the pantry is fine otherwise.

Ingredients & Dietary

Ingredients: vegetable oil, shallots, olive oil, chilli flakes, capers, garlic, sugar, porcini, thyme, salt, oregano, peppercorns, fennel seeds, bay leaves.

Dietary: No gluten, dairy, meat or nut ingredients are added, but the oils are made on shared machinery so traces can't be guaranteed — always check the physical label.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Italian chilli oil is usually two ingredients and a shrug. This one hides porcini and capers under the crunch, which is exactly why the jar empties faster than the Ma Foo does. Rub a lamb shoulder with Butchers Axe Woodlands Garlic, serve it alongside Tracklements Traditional Mint Sauce, then spoon this over the lot. Contraband-grade, that.

FAQ

How hot is Nonna Piccante?
The family calls it a medium kick, and most people find it slightly spicier than Ma Foo. It's still built for flavour and crunch first.

What oil is it made with?
100% Australian vegetable oil cut with a Spanish olive oil — enough for that olive oil note to come through without dominating the porcini, capers and herbs.

Do I need to refrigerate it after opening?
Not strictly. It's shelf stable in a cool, dry pantry, but the fridge keeps the crispy bits crispier for longer.

Is it gluten free?
No gluten ingredients go in, but it's made on shared machinery so traces can't be guaranteed. Always check the physical label.

What's the difference between Nonna Piccante and Ma Foo?
Nonna Piccante is the Italian jar — capers, porcini, thyme, oregano, fennel and olive oil. Ma Foo is the Asian one — soy bean paste, star anise, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorn. Nonna's the spicier of the pair.

How long does it keep?
Shelf life is 12 months, with the best-before date printed on the base of the jar.