Wipe each dried pepper clean with a dry cloth or paper towel. Do not rinse them, since any moisture will make the hot oil spit.

Snap the stem off each pepper and shake out the seeds through the opening. Discard both.

Pour the olive oil into a 24 cm / 9.5-inch skillet to a depth of about 2 cm / 0.75 inch and heat over medium until it reaches 160C/320F on an instant-read thermometer.

Test the oil with one pepper. It should puff and sizzle steadily within 2 to 3 seconds; if it blackens right away, pull the pan off the heat for a minute to cool the oil slightly.

Fry the peppers in batches of 5 to 6, turning once with tongs, for 10 to 15 seconds total until they puff up and deepen to a rich red.

Lift each batch out with a slotted spoon as soon as it's red, before it darkens further, and drain on a paper towel-lined tray.

Salt the peppers immediately while still warm. They crisp fully as they cool over the next minute or two.

Let the oil come back to 160C/320F between batches and repeat with the remaining peppers.

Serve warm or at room temperature, crumbled over pasta or eggs, or on their own as a snack.