The substitution is no problem safety-wise since both are dried. But the amount to use is a big question mark, a guess that could only be solved by experimentation. I can't find anything but guesses about equivalency measure for how much flakes equals 1 pepper. The estimates range from 1/2 tsp per pepper to 2 tsp per pepper and even those measurements differ depending on the type of hot pepper.

I guess I'd start with the 1/2 tsp per pepper if I was doing it and then see how it taste once opened. Or I'd just go to the store and buy the dried hot peppers needed. ;-)

Dave

Thanks! I usually keep dried pepper flakes on hand but not whole dried peppers. I'll see what's available at one of our small local hispanic grocery stores. Seems like there could still be a range of sizes of dried hot peppers though. If I find some dried hot peppers that seem appropriate maybe I'll measure their quantity or weigh them after chopping them up in order to see how they compare in quantity to standard hot pepper flakes.

My impression is that when a recipe calls for "dried hot peppers" but doesn't specify the exact type of pepper they are referring to dried chili or cayennes, the milder ones. Chili peppers are probably the most common dried ones you find. Usually if they intend ancho or habs or bluts they specify them by name.

Dave

9 hot peppers! Crikey the ones I grew last year can only be used in tiny slivers. 9 would probably kill a person. They must mean mild ones.

"Crikey" now there is a word we don't see every day.