Impruneta's Peposo: An Illustrated Recipe

Next, add the pepper. Chef Cristoforo went by eye, and I'd say he added a bit more than a half cup of ground pepper.

This brings up a point: If you make Peposo with ground black pepper it will pack a considerable fiery zing. If you instead use whole peppercorns (increase the volume by about a third to compensate for the air between the peppercorns) the Peposo will be more delicate, with rich peppery aromas, but pack less punch. The choice is up to you.