Cured Meats in Italy
Whether they are made of pork, as is most often the case, or of beef, veal, buck, goat, chamois, venison, sheep, wild boar, or horse, cured meats (salumi in Italian) were born of a need to conserve meat for months after the slaughter of the animal. Salting, smoking, and air-drying are the three processes by which fresh meat is transformed into a long-keeping staple.
While all meats are salted, some are smoked, and others are simply air-dried.Italians have been making an amazing array of cured meats for thousands of years using both noble and humble parts of the animals they raise. The ancient Romans prized the spicy pork sausages crafted in the southern region of Basilicata (called Lucania then, and giving rise to sausages named Lucaniche still eaten today). And, fond of intensely tasty foods, they smoked or salted whole pig thighs, yielding savory Prosciutti not unlike those still made in mountain villages across Italy.
Two thousand years later, pork remains Italy's favorite meat for curing. Pigs are especially prevalent in areas where there is a notable cheesemaking tradition: after all, wherever there is cheese, there is excess whey, which, combined with bran and corn, becomes perfect feed for pigs.
Italian salumi fall under two categories: those obtained from a whole cut of meat, such as a boneless thigh or shoulder (Prosciutto, Pancetta, Coppa, Culatello, and more); and those obtained from minced, ground, or chopped meat that is stuffed into casings, known as insaccati in Italian (salami, sausages, and more). Salumi can range in size from tiny to imposing; they can be delicate or fiercely hot; they can be spreadable or hard; they may be best eaten raw, with a slab of bread, or be meant for cooking. Some are so particular that they are only made in one town or village, virtually unknown elsewhere in the country; others have become famous not only within Italy, but across the ocean.
The best place to discover this incredible range of cured meats is the salumeria, Italy's take on the delicatessen. Salumerie across Italy stock the country's most renowned salumi (Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto Cotto, Mortadella, Pancetta, Soppressata, and more) and a good number of local specialties; if you head to a salumeria in Trieste (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), you will have a chance to savor different cured meats than if you head to a salumeria in Cagliari (Sardinia). Because many Italian salumi are still cured on an artisanal level, relying on the meat of free-ranging animals or animals raised on specific feed such as chestnuts or corn, they are very flavorful and unique in character.
Salumi form an integral part of the Italian regional kitchen. They show up as appetizers in homes and trattorie: served with bread, they make a perfect opener to an informal meal. And while most cured meats arrive at the table unadorned, some (like Bresaola, air-dried beef from Lombardy) are marinated with olive oil, pepper, and perhaps a drizzle of lemon juice. Numerous recipes also call for bits of ham, salami, or other cured meats for added flavor and depth; this is especially true for savory pies, pasta sauces, and long-simmered meat stews.
When cooking with cured meats, keep in mind their inherent saltiness, spiciness, and aromatic qualities. Salt, a conserving agent, is used abundantly to ensure that the meat will keep for several months. Similarly, spices play a key role in conserving meat: black pepper, chili flakes, and ground red pepper are predominant, used more or less generously in different places and for different meats; in general, southern Italian salumi are spicier than northern Italian salumi. Fragrant herbs like wild fennel and rosemary also lend flavor to many cured meats, providing an aromatic accent to dishes that incorporate them.
Italian salumi can be rather expensive, and you may be wondering whether the domestic versions, which are often cheaper, can be substituted. I heartily recommend using Italian cured meats whenever possible: imported and domestic cured meats cannot be compared, since the animals are raised in different environments on different feed and then cured in different climates. The breed of animal used (hairy black pigs, mountain-roaming wild boar, and so on), the diet of the animal (corn, hay, chestnuts, bran, and more), and the peculiarities of place (salty air from the sea, heavy rainfall, mountain breezes) create cured meats with vastly different characters. Just as Prosciutto di Parma (Emilia-Romagna) tastes different from Prosciutto di Carpegna (the Marches), a ham from Baltimore cannot taste like one from Rome (Latium).
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Useful link: To purchase a variety of salumi in the United States, visit Citterio.
Recipes
Savory Pancetta Pie
Pancetta, unsmoked Italian bacon, shines in this savory pie.
For the pie:
- 4 large eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ pound diced Pancetta
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (9 ounces)
To serve:
- 4 cups packed baby greens
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the pie: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine all the ingredients except the puff pastry in a bowl.
Roll out the puff pastry into a 10-inch square and line an 8-inch square baking dish with it. Prick with a fork and spoon in the Pancetta mixture.
Bake 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden and crisp.
To serve: Toss the greens with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange on 4 plates. Top with a wedge of pie and serve.
Serves 4 as a first course, 8 as an appetizer
Bruschetta with Prosciutto and Mozzarella
These delectable little packages can be assembled up to 4 hours prior to serving and refrigerated until you are ready to pop them under the broiler.
For the bruschetta:
- 24 slices baguette
- 12 thin slices Prosciutto di Parma or San Daniele, halved
- 24 basil leaves
- 12 sundried tomatoes packed in olive oil, drained and halved
- 24 bocconcini
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
To serve:
- 3 cups packed baby greens
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Make the bruschetta: Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Place the baguette slices on the parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
Place the halved Prosciutto slices on a counter. Top each with 1 basil leaf, then a sliver of sundried tomato, and finally 1 of the bocconcini. Sprinkle with the pepper. Wrap to enclose in the Prosciutto and place 1 bundle on each baguette slice, seam side down.
Slip under the preheated broiler until the Prosciutto is crispy, the bocconcini are melted, and the bread is golden at the edges.
To serve: Toss all the ingredients in a bowl. Distribute the greens among 6 plates. Serve within minutes, while the bruschetta is hot and crispy.
Serves 8
Four-Cheese and Prosciutto Pie
The Prosciutto for this pie should be sliced thickly, then cubed; that way you will find tentalizing bits of Prosciutto throughout the filling.
Thinly sliced Prosciutto tends to clump up and form a ball in the filling.
Look for phyllo dough in the freezer section of well-stocked supermarkets,
and defrost overnight in the refrigerator before assembling the pie. The pie can be prepared (but not baked) up to 12 hours ahead; pour on the custard
mixture just before baking.
For the filling:
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 1/2 pound fresh Mozzarella, coarsely grated
- 1/4 pound Caciocavallo, coarsely grated
- 2 ounces young goat cheese, crumbled
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 pound cubed Prosciutto di Parma
For the pie:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the custard mixture:
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon unbleached all-purpose flour
Make the filling: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
Make the pie: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly oil a round 9-inch glass baking dish.
Line the baking dish with 1 phyllo sheet and brush very lightly with the olive oil,
keeping the other phyllo sheets covered with a dry towel while you work (otherwise the phyllo will dry
out and crack, becoming very difficult to work with). Part of the dough will hang over the sides of the pan, which is fine, since you will use it later to encase the filling.
Top with another phyllo sheet, arranging it askew from the first sheet, so the overlapping part falls in another area (not directly on top of where there is already overhanging phyllo); the goal is to form a sort of flower
petal shape with the overhanging dough.
Continue in this manner, brushing lightly with olive oil and
stacking phyllo rectangles slightly askew, until you have used 5 phyllo sheets.
Spoon on the filling and spread well, covering the dough.
Take the remaining phyllo sheet and cut it in half. Place the two halves on top of the cheese filling, brushing between them with olive oil.
Take the overhanging phyllo dough and fold it in, covering the filling entirely. The dough will look crumpled and creased, and it will not lie flat. That is fine.
Brush the top with olive oil.
Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the pepper.
Make the custard mixture: Whisk the ingredients together in a bowl. Pour the custard mixture over the pie.
As the pie bakes, the custard will set and create a soft, golden crust.
Bake in the preheated oven 40 minutes, or until golden, set, and crisp. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
Serves 4 as a first course, 8 as an appetizer
Grilled Radicchio in Warm Pancetta Dressing
Radicchio's bitterness can be tamed by blanching, a process that also makes it silky tender.
- 2 heads radicchio di Treviso, halved lengthwise (6 ounces each)
- 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ pound Pancetta, diced
- 2 large or 3 medium shallots, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the radicchio and 1 tablespoon of the salt and cook 2 minutes, or just until the radicchio wilts. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking. Very gently squeeze out excess water, trying to keep the radicchio halves intact.
Toss the radicchio with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of the salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper.
Heat a grill to a high flame.
Grill the radicchio until it is lightly softened and tinged with brown on both sides, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a platter.
Heat a 12-inch sauté pan over a medium flame. Add the Pancetta and shallots and cook until the Pancetta browns lightly and the shallots wilt, about 10 minutes. Raise the heat to high and stand back from the pan. Pour in the vinegar and cook until it reduces to a glaze, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, ¼ teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of pepper, and swirl gently to combine. Pour the warm vinaigrette over the radicchio and serve immediately.
Serves 2 to 4
Asparagus Spears Wrapped in Pancetta
White or green, it doesn’t really matter: whichever asparagus you prefer will be fine in this
easy antipasto. Just be sure to select asparagus with tightly closed tips and firm, unblemished stems—the signs of freshness.
Avoid very thick asparagus, which wouldn’t have the time to cook all the way through on the grill before the Pancetta burns.
Remember to soak the toothpicks in water to cover for 30 minutes before using them to spear the asparagus bundles,
or they will catch on fire on the grill.
- 20 medium asparagus spears, bottoms trimmed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 20 thin slices Pancetta
Heat a grill (or a grill pan) to a medium-high flame. Place the asparagus spears on a cutting board with the tips lined up at the top. Cut the asparagus from the bottom so the spears are 4 inches long.
On a plate, combine the salt, pepper, and olive oil. Roll the asparagus in the olive oil mixture to coat evenly. Wrap 1 asparagus spear in 1 slice of Pancetta, holding the seam side of the Pancetta closed with one finger. Spear each with a toothpick to prevent unfurling.
Proceed in the same manner with the remaining asparagus and Pancetta.
Grill the asparagus until the fat on the Pancetta has melted and the Pancetta is cooked, about 5 minutes, turning often to cook evenly; the asparagus should still be crunchy and just tinged with brown. Serve hot, removing the toothpicks first. Makes 20
Smoky Mortadella Wedges with Fruit Mustard
I remember family road trips across Italy when I was little, munching on panini stuffed with Mortadella in the back seat as the landscape whizzed by. Even now, whenever I eat Mortadella, I feel as though I'm headed somewhere special, on the road to discovery. Mortadella (a light pink, delicate, cooked sausage that gave rise to America's beloved bologna, for it hails from Bologna in Emilia-Romagna) is typically enjoyed thinly sliced in sandwiches or added to stuffings for pasta. But when thick wedges of it are slow-smoked on the grill, the result is magical. Since Mortadella is so wide, it is impossible to obtain thick slices that weigh any less than ½ pound or so. Yo serve these thick, meaty slices as an antipasto, I suggest you grill them whole, then cut them in eighths before serving. If you grill the Mortadella in wedges, it will dry out. I like to serve grilled Mortadella with a bracing accompaniment like Mostarda di Cremona, a spicy, mustard-laced fruit concoction that is usually paired with rich sausages or boiled meats and is a staple on northern Italian tables for New Year’s celebrations. You will find it in Italian markets and specialty shops.
- Two ½-inch-thick medallions Mortadella (about 1/2 pound to 3/4 pound each)
- 1 jar (1 and ½ cups) Mostarda di Cremona
Heat your grill to a medium flame.
Place the Mortadella medallions as far from the hottest part of the grill as possible; the aim is to slow-cook the Mortadella until it acquires a delicious, smoky scent. Cover the grill in order to smoke the Mortadella; if your grill doesn’t have a cover, drape a sturdy piece of aluminum foil over the Mortadella instead.
Cook 10 minutes, or until the Mortadella is lightly browned on the bottom. Uncover and turn. Cover again. Cook until the other side is also lightly browned and the Mortadella has acquired a smoky scent.
Remove to a cutting board and cut each medallion into eighths. Arrange the resulting wedges on a platter and serve hot, accompanied by the Mostarda di Cremona. Serves 4
Bresaola Topped with Arugula and Shaved Parmigiano
Bresaola is an air-dried, unsmoked beef specialty from the Valtellina area of Lombardy. It is typically served as an appetizer, drizzled with lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and shavings of Parmigiano. Some julienned arugula will only add to the visual appeal, as well as the flavor, of the dish.
- 1/2 pound very thinly sliced Bresaola
- juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 bunch arugula, washed and dried, stems removed, cut into long, thin strips
- 2 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, shaved into long, thin shards with a vegetable peeler
Arrange the Bresaola in a single layer on each of 4 plates.
Drizzle with the lemon juice and olive oil, sprinkle with the pepper, and top with the arugula. Garnish with the shaved Parmigiano. Serve immediately. Serves 4
Mustard-Laced Celery Root and Ham Bundles Tied with Chives
Opt for an Italian Prosciutto Cotto (literally, "cooked ham"), rather than Prosciutto di Parma (an uncooked ham aged a minimum of 12 months), for this elegant appetizer. Serve with drinks at a holiday gathering or place on the buffet table and let guests help themselves.
- 1 medium celery root, peeled, trimmed, and julienned
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 12 thin slices Prosciutto Cotto, halved width-wise
- 24 chives
Toss the celery root, mustard, olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl; adjust the seasoning if needed. This can be done up to 12 hours ahead (refrigerate until needed).
Spread the slices of Prosciutto Cotto out in a single layer on a counter. Divide the celery root mixture evenly over the slices of Prosciutto Cotto and shape into a log along the bottom of each slice.
Roll the Prosciutto Cotto into tight scrolls, enclosing the celery root filling; tie each bundle with a chive for a prettier presentation. Arrange the bundles seam side down on a serving platter and refrigerate up to 1 hour. Makes 24 pieces
Roasted Pepper Boats with Pancetta and Pecorino
You can use peppers of a single color if you prefer, but the presentation will be prettier with a variety. Avoid green peppers, which are less subtle than red, yellow, or orange ones. If Pancetta (unsmoked bacon) is not available, use bacon instead.
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing the baking sheet
- 1 red pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into 8 long strips
- 1 yellow pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into 8 long strips
- 1 orange pepper, halved, seeded, and cut into 8 long strips
- 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 12 thin slices Pancetta, halved
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 450°.
Lightly oil an 11-inch x 17-inch baking sheet. Arrange the pepper strips on it with the skin side facing down. Drizzle with the olive oil, sprinkle with the Pecorino, and top with the Pancetta. Season with the pepper.
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the peppers soften and the Pancetta becomes lightly brown; do not allow the Pancetta to burn or the dish will taste acrid. Serve hot. Serves 4
Cured Meats Table
The list below includes both widespread and little-known Italian cured meats. Many of the more obscure cured meats are available only within their zone of production; others have become staples across Italy and the world. Unfortunately, FDA regulations do not allow most of these cured meats to enter North America: only a handful of imported salumi are sold here (Prosciutto di Parma, Prosciutto di San Daniele, Prosciutto di Carpegna, Prosciutto Cotto, Mortadella, and Bresaola). The others are either produced domestically (and therefore taste quite different from the original) or can only be sampled on their native soil. I offer you the exhaustive list below so that, on future trips to Italy, you will know what to sample in each region in the salumerie, in the trattorie, and, should you be so lucky, in people's homes.
Cured Meat |
Region(s)
|
Meat(s)
|
Characteristics |
Baldonazzi |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Sweet-and-sour blood sausage featuring
chestnut flour, walnuts, raisins, lard, and nutmeg. |
Bale d'Aso |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Delicate boiling sausage. |
Biroldo or Buristo or Sanguinaccio
|
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Sweet blood pudding with pine nuts,
spices, and (sometimes) raisins. |
Bisecon |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
A cross between head cheese and sausage. |
Bocconcini di Daino |
Umbria
|
Buck
|
Mildly gamy tiny sausages. |
Bondiola |
The Veneto
|
Pork
|
Sausages best boiled slowly. |
Bondiola Affumicata |
The Veneto
|
Pork
|
Smoked sausage. |
Bondiola d'Adria |
The Veneto
|
Pork and veal
|
Pork and veal sausage with red wine,
aged at least 4 months. |
Bondiola di Treviso |
The Veneto
|
Pork
|
Both lean and fatty parts of the
pig, including the rind and head, as well as a piece of salted
tongue, are used to make this sausage. |
Boudin |
Val d'Aosta
|
Pork
|
A blood sausage flavored with mashed
potatoes or boiled beets, lard, and spices; boiled, then sliced
and baked with potatoes and butter. |
Bresaola |
Lombardy
|
Beef or horse
|
Made
in the Valtellina from prized cuts of beef (or, more rarely,
horse) which are salted and spiced, then hung to dry; sometimes
smoked. |
Bresaola dell'Ossola |
Piedmont
|
Veal
|
Bresaola flavored with white wine,
cinnamon, cloves, thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and sugar. |
Bresaola di Cervo |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Venison
|
Intensely red Bresaola, firm and
slightly sweet. |
Budellaccio di Norcia |
Umbria
|
Pork
|
Sausage flavored with salt, pepper,
and fennel seeds, dried by the hearth and grilled. |
Cacciatori or
Bastardelli |
Lombardy
|
Pork and beef
|
Salami made from pork and Bresaola
trimmings. |
Cacciatorino |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
The Little Hunter's Sausage; small
salami created for hunters who needed a quick energy fix on
the hunt. |
Capocollo |
Basilicata/Apulia/
Umbria/Calabria
|
Pork
|
Pork shoulder and neck stuffed into
pork bladder, amply spiced; sometimes smoked or conserved in
olive oil or flavored with cooked wine. |
Cappello da Prete |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
Pork forcemeat enclosed in pork rind,
boiled before serving. |
Carne di Melezet |
Piedmont
|
Veal
|
Salted chunks of meat; conserved
for months in a savory brine. |
Carne Salada |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Beef
|
"Salted Meat," made by marinating
beef in a salt brine with pepper, garlic, bay leaves, rosemary,
juniper berries, and white wine for 20 days. |
Cervellata Calabrese |
Calabria
|
Pork
|
Sausage flavored with white wine
and chili. |
Cervellata Pugliese |
Apulia
|
Pork with the possible addition of veal
|
Sausage made of pork, or pork and
veal; flavored with cooked wine and fennel seeds, often grilled. |
Cervellatina |
Campania
|
Pork
|
Salami made from lean and fat meat,
cut with a knife and spiced with chili. |
Ciauscolo or Ciavuscolo |
Umbria/
The Marches
|
Pork
|
A soft, spreadable pâté-like smoked
pork sausage, often spiked with garlic and vino cotto. |
Coiga |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Smoked sausage featuring the lowly
but economical turnip. |
Coppa |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
A
specialty of Piacenza, made from the top part of the pig's neck,
which is dry-salted, spiced, stuffed into casings, air-dried,
and aged for 6 months. |
Coppa di Ascoli Piceno |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Boiled salami made from humble parts
of the pig, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg, studded with pistachios. |
Coppa Umbra |
Umbria
|
Pork
|
A head cheese flavored with orange
zest. |
Coppiette |
Tuscany
|
Boar or beef
|
Dried salami-like bars of wild boar
or beef from the Maremma. |
Coppiette Ciociare |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Initially made of horse and now of
pork, these strips of spiced and seasoned meat are sold coupled,
hanging from a string. |
Corallina di Norcia |
Umbria
|
Pork
|
A salami of finely ground pork mixed
with cubes of pork fat, scented with garlic, sometimes smoked
over juniper wood and aged up to 5 months. |
Cotechino |
Lombardy/
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
Cremona's famous pork sausage, typically
boiled and served with lentils to ring in the New Year; artisanal
producers still flavor the forcemeat with vanilla. This rich
sausage needs to be slowly simmered for hours. |
Cotechino di San Leo |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Made according to a secret recipe,
this thick boiled sausage is generously seasoned with cloves,
nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper. |
Cotecotto |
Lombardy
|
Beef and pork
|
Sausage from the Valtellina;, best
poached in the water used for boiling chestnuts. |
Culatello di Zibello |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
Made
from the most prized portion of the ham, the "heart of Prosciutto,"
pear-shaped Culatello is rubbed with wine and pepper, aged in
well-ventilated rooms for 10 months to 1 year, and delicate
in flavor. |
Fegato Dolce |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Pork liver in casings; flavored with
honey. |
Fegato Pazzo |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Pork liver in casings; flavored with
chili. |
Fiaschetta Aquilana |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Smoked salami. |
Filetto Baciato |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
"The Kissed Filet," a soft
salami wrapped around a cured pork filet. |
Finocchiona |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
An imposing salami spiced with wild
fennel seeds (finocchio selvatico in Italian), aged 6 months
to 1 year. |
Fiocco di Daino |
Umbria
|
Buck
|
Intensely red and mildly gamy cured
buck tenderloins. |
Guanciale |
Latium
|
Pork
|
The meat from the cheek and throat
of a pig is salted, rubbed with pepper, and aged; less fatty
than Pancetta, which is made from the belly of a pig, it is
cooked in pasta sauces, with vegetables, and more. |
Kaminwürz |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Beef and pork
|
Sausage slowly smoked over the fireplace
in homes. |
Lardo |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Smoked, salted, or spiced lard, eaten
as an antipasto. |
Lardo di Cavour |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Subtle lard, especially delicious
when perfumed with rosemary. |
Lardo di Colonnata |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Lard aged near marble quarries in
the town of Colonnata, placed in a salt brine in marble tubs
after being rubbed with spices. Eaten raw on bread and focaccia.
|
Lardo di Saint Arnad |
Val d'Aosta
|
Pork
|
A creamy, pearl-colored lard from
the town of Saint Arnad; best eaten thinly sliced with whole
wheat bread slathered with mountain honey. |
Lonza |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Sausage from the shoulder and neck
of the pig; spiced, salted, and hung to dry, aged for a minimum
of 2 months. Called Capocollo elsewhere. |
Lucanica |
Basilicata
|
Pork
|
Sausage praised by Cicero and Martial
in the days of ancient Rome, flavored with sweet and spicy pepper,
fennel seeds, and black pepper; eaten grilled or roasted, or
raw if smoked. |
Luganega |
The Veneto
|
Pork with the possible addition of chicken
livers
|
Treviso's famed pork sausage, whose
recipe was codified in 1300. Some is made with pounded Pancetta
and a mixture of pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, and
coriander; another is enriched with chicken livers. |
Luganiga |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Monza's vanilla-laced sausage. |
Marcundela |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
Sausage made from the innards, spleen,
and fat of the pig; sliced and fried in butter, it is served
alongside pasta or frittatas. |
Marzapane |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Oddly named garlic- and wine-laced
blood sausage made near Novara. |
Mazzafegato |
Umbria/
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Liver sausage; flavored with orange
zest, pine nuts, raisins, and sugar when sweet. A must on Carnevale
tables. |
Mocetta or Motzetta |
Val d'Aosta
|
Goat, chamois, or beef
|
Salted and aged boneless leg of goat,
chamois, or beef; it was once made with wild mountain goats,
but they have become a protected species. Similar to Bresaola.
|
Mortadella di Bologna |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
The real "baloney, whose recipe was
developed during the Middle Ages. The real Bolognese version
calls only for pork; pistachios, garlic, or truffles are sometimes
added for flavor. |
Mortadella di Campotosto |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Finely
ground sausage threaded with a wide strip of lard; also called
Coglioni di Mulo ("Mule's Balls"). |
Mortadella di Fegato |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Fatty sausage featuring liver. |
Mortadella di Fegato or Mortadella
d'Orta or Fidighin |
Piedmont
|
Pork and beef
|
Sausage featuring pork liver, beef
or pork, and white wine or reduced Barbera wine; smoked or unsmoked,
meant for boiling. |
Mortadella Nostrale |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Sausage spiced with black pepper;
aged a little over 1 month. |
Mortadella Umbra |
Umbria
|
Pork
|
From the Val di Nera; like the Mortadella
of Abruzzo, it is threaded with a single large strip of lard. |
Mortadellina Amatriciana |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Sausages of finely ground pork threaded
with a thick strip of lard; smoked and aged up to 3 months. |
Mortandela |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Minced pork sausage that finds its
most elaborate expression in Val di Sole, where it is sprinkled
with cornmeal, pressed, and smoked over beechwood and aromatic
herbs. |
Mostardella |
Liguria
|
Pork
|
Savory salami best eaten in thick
slices; good grilled. |
Mulette |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Molise's version of Capocollo or
Coppa, spiced with chili rather than black pepper. |
Musetto |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
Sausage reminiscent of Cotechino,
made from lean and fatty pork meat and usually boiled and eaten
with brovade. |
'Nduja |
Calabria
|
Pork
|
Pork meat, lard, liver, and lights
are ground together and stuffed into pig's bowels, then spiced
with chili and aged up to 1 year; eaten as an antipasto, spread
on bread, and incorporated in pasta sauces. |
Pampanella di
San Martino |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Small pork chops coated with a chili
pepper and garlic paste, roasted, then rubbed with salt and
vinegar. |
Pancetta or Rigatino |
Across Italy
|
Pork
|
Fatty
meat from the pig's belly, shaped in rectangles or coiled. Essentially
it is unsmoked bacon; it is served raw as an antipasto or cooked
in numerous dishes. |
Pettucce |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
Meatballs from the Alta Carnia, macerated
with juniper and other mountain herbs, rolled in cornmeal, smoked,
and aged. |
Porchetta di Ariccia |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Spit-roasted pork flavored with garlic,
pepper, and wild fennel. |
Probusto |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork and veal
|
The Italian version of Germany's
Frankfurterwürstel, a pork and veal sausage that is stuffed
into a mutton casing and smoked over birchwood. |
Prosciutto
Affumicato |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Smoked hams rubbed with wine and
chili. |
Prosciutto Berico-Euganeo |
The Veneto
|
Pork
|
Pig thighs are salted, pressed lightly,
and aged to yield a slightly compact ham. |
Prosciutto Cotto |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Baked
ham; large thighs are deboned, then cured in a salt brine, massaged,
baked, and marketed without curing. |
Prosciutto Cotto nel Pane |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
Gorizia's ham is wrapped in bread
dough and baked until the crust is golden and crisp, then eaten
warm or hot, with grated horseradish at Easter. |
Prosciutto di Bardotto |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Made from the thigh of a "hybrid"
pig (born from the union of a sow and a wild boar); the meat
is as flavorful as its father's, and as moist as its mother's,
yielding especially succulent hams. |
Prosciutto di Basciano |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Ham that benefits from the fresh
mountain breeze of the Gran Sasso; flavored with chili and aged
1 year. |
Prosciutto di Bassiano |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Ham rubbed with a mixture of white
wine, garlic, and pepper, aged at least 1 year. |
Prosciutto di Bosses |
Val d'Aosta
|
Pork
|
A ham produced in a small village
by the same name on an artisanal level. |
Prosciutto di Carpegna |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Ham
made in the town of Carpegna since the days of ancient Rome;
deep pink, with a delicate, sweet flavor, it is salted and aged
14 months. |
Prosciutto di Cinghiale |
Latium/
Tuscany
|
Wild boar
|
An intensely flavorful ham made usually
sold with the bristle still on and the hoof still intact. |
Prosciutto di Daino |
Umbria
|
Buck
|
Ham made from buck thighs. |
Prosciutto di Guarcino |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Hams flavored with red wine, lard,
chili, and spices; aged up to 16 months. |
Prosciutto di Modena |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
Aged near Modena, this pear-shaped
ham is salted twice, allowed to rest with its salt rub for 2
months, then rinsed, dried, and aged for 1 year; it has a subtle,
barely salty flavor. |
Prosciutto di Montefalcone |
Campania
|
Pork
|
Smoked, chili-laced ham from a mountain
village in Alto Sannio. |
Prosciutto di Norcia |
Umbria
|
Pork
|
The most characteristic Umbrian cured
meat; large pear-shaped ham, rosy or red, slightly spicy, subjected
to a salt cure for 2 to 5 months and then aged a minimum of
1 year. |
Prosciutto di Ossola |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Salted ham flavored with aromatic
herbs. |
Prosciutto di Parma |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
This
ham is the ultimate symbol of its region's gastronomy. Round
in shape, it is salty yet delicately sweet and aged from 10
to 12 months. |
Prosciutto di San Daniele |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
The
rosy and sweet ham of San Daniele is aged from 15 to 18 months;
it is sweeter than the ham from Parma, and is easily recognizable
since it is worked with the hoof still attached. |
Prosciutto di Sauris |
Friuli-
Venezia Giulia
|
Pork
|
Smoked ham from the village of Sauris
in the Alta Carnia, produced at an altitude of 4,000 feet; aged
from 12 to 18 months. |
Prosciutto di Val Vigezzo |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Ham aged 40 days, smoked over juniper
wood. |
Prosciutto Lucano |
Basilicata
|
Pork
|
Ham made from small pigs raised in
the mountains; cured artisanally, spiced with chili, and aged
15 months. |
Prosciutto Romano |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Ham from the province of Rome. |
Prosciutto Toscano |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Tuscan ham, smaller and saltier than
that from Parma and San Daniele; best cut by hand with a sharp
knife. |
Rindgeselchtes |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Beef
|
Smoked beef, most often served thinly
sliced as an antipasto or as part of a Bollito Misto. |
Salama da Sugo
|
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
A specialty of Ferrara made with
pork meat, tongue, head, liver, cloves, cinnamon, red wine,
and brandy, Marsala, or rum; it becomes almost creamy and releases
a rich ragù-like sauce when pierced as it cooks. |
Salame Brianzolo |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Spiced pork salami. |
Salame d'Asino |
Piedmont
|
Donkey
|
Donkey meat salami. |
Salame del Montefeltro |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Salami made from the meat of black
pigs, spiced with whole black peppercorns. |
Salame della Duja |
Piedmont
|
Pork
|
Salami named after the glass vase
in which the it is layered with pork fat to protect it from
humidity and to age. |
Salame di Cinghiale |
Umbria
|
Wild boar
|
Salami made from the wild boars that
roam Umbria's woods. |
Salame di Cremona |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Salami made from prized cuts of pork,
belly fat, salt, crushed garlic, and red wine; aged 6 months. |
Salame di Daino |
Umbria
|
Buck
|
Subtly gamy buck salami. |
Salame di Fabriano |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Salami featuring knife-cut (rather
than ground) pork; aged from 2 to 5 months. |
Salame di Felino |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
This salami features top-quality
ground pork, Pancetta, ground black pepper, and white peppercorns;
as it ages for 3 months, it becomes covered with its characteristic
white mold. |
Salame di Mantova |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Salami made from coarsely ground
or knife-cut pork shoulder and belly mixed with trimmings from
Prosciutto-making and white wine; aged 3 months and perfect
for the grill. |
Salame di Pecora |
Abruzzo
|
Sheep
|
Rare salami from Anversa degli Abruzzi;
sweet and delicate. |
Salame di Rape |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Salami that includes pork fat, cooked
cabbage, and turnips; a specialty of Livigno, where the altitude
forbids anything but turnip cultivation. |
Salame di Sant'Olcese |
Liguria
|
Pork and beef
|
Subtle salami flavored with black
pepper and garlic. |
Salame di Varzi |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Garlic-scented salami. |
Salame d'Oca |
Lombardy
|
Goose
|
Goose salami from Mortara, for eating
raw or poaching. |
Salame Genovese |
Liguria
|
Pork and beef
|
Salami made from coarsely ground
meat; spiked with white wine. |
Salame Milano |
Lombardy
|
Pork
|
Pork salami laced with cheese and
saffron; aged 3 months. |
Salame Napoli |
Campania
|
Pork and veal
|
Smoked salami flavored with orange
zest and garlic steeped in wine; sometimes conserved in olive
oil or under ashes. |
Salame Sant'Angelo |
Sicily
|
Pork
|
Salami made from finely minced rather
than ground top-quality pork meat; stuffed into natural bowels
and hung to age. |
Salame Toscano |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Salami that is sometimes flavored
with garlic. |
Salsiccia |
Calabria
|
Pork
|
Sausage, usually obtained from the
shoulder, spiced with chili or red pepper, aged a minimum of
1 month, and braided. |
Salsiccia Cruda di Bra |
Piedmont
|
Veal
|
Spiced sausage, eaten raw, sautéed,
or grilled. |
Salsiccia di Castrato |
Lombardy
|
Mutton
|
Rare sausage from the Valcamonica. |
Salsiccia di Lecce |
Apulia
|
Pork and beef
|
Sausage enriched with Pancetta (unsmoked
bacon); flavored with white wine, cinnamon, cloves, and lemon
zest. |
Salsiccia di Monte San Biagio
|
Latium
|
Pork
|
Sausages sometimes conserved in olive
oil. |
Salsiccia di Polmone |
Campania
|
Pork
|
Sausage made from pork lights, especially
in Apice. |
Salsiccia di Rionero |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Fennel-flavored sausage conserved
under a layer of fat. |
Salsiccia Pezzente |
Basilicata
|
Pork
|
Sausage made from minced pork scraps
(head, cheek, lights, liver, and nerves), generously spiced
and flavored with garlic; grilled and eaten on toasted bread,
in soups, or over polenta. |
Salsiccia Sarda |
Sardinia
|
Pork
|
Sausage made from coarsely ground
pork shoulder and belly; it is flavored with salt, pepper, and
garlic, with the possible addition of chili and other spices,
then stuffed into a casing, formed into a horseshoe shape, and
aged at least 3 weeks. Sometimes smoked, it is grilled when
fairly young or eaten raw when aged long enough. |
Salsiccia Stufata |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Cooked sausage that may include pork
liver. |
Sanguinacci |
Sardinia
|
Pork
|
Pork blood sausage featuring sugar,
raisins, herbs like thyme and mint, Pecorino, chopped boiled
chard, and more. Often spread on pane carasau, because they
are soft even after boiling. |
Sanguinaccio di Lecce |
Apulia
|
Pork
|
Blood and brain sausage; typically
eaten boiled or grilled. |
Sanguinati |
Molise
|
Pork
|
Blood pudding scented with raisins,
orange zest, parsley, chili, and garlic. |
Scammarita |
Latium
|
Pork
|
Loin flavored with garlic and pepper;
tied like a salami and aged. |
Scodeghini |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Humble salami that makes use of all
the parts of the pig that couldn't be incorporated in other
preparations, including the skin and cheeks. |
Soppressa del Pasubio |
The Veneto
|
Pork
|
Ground pork salami flavored with
garlic steeped in red wine, aged 1 year; potatoes and chestnuts
form the basis of the diet of pigs raised on the slopes of the
Pasubio, so their meat acquires an unmistakable taste. |
Soppressata |
Molise/
Campania/
Basilicata/
Calabria
|
Pork
|
Salami
from lean pork meat and pork fat (preferably from small black
pigs). The meat is cut by knife rather than ground, then spiced,
stuffed into casings, and pressed under a weight to obtain its
characteristic flattened shape (hence the name). Traditionally
hung near the hearth to age and acquire a delicate smoky aroma.
Sometimes conserved in olive oil or lard; may contain pork blood
or ground sweet peppers for a brighter red color. |
Soppressata di Fabriano |
The Marches
|
Pork
|
Salami made of finely ground lean
meat and strips of lard;, dried over a fire 3 to 4 days. |
Soppressata or Testa in Cassetta
or Mallegato |
Tuscany
|
Pork
|
Noble and humble cuts of pork, including
the head and cartilage, are ground, spiced, stuffed into casings,
and pressed under weights, then hung to age. |
Spalla Cotta di San Secondo |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
The cured pork shoulder Giuseppe
Verdi loved; aged from 2 to 3 months, smoked or unsmoked. |
Speck |
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Rosy smoked ham made from the best
pig thighs which are dry-salted and aged from 5 to 6 months. |
Speck Quadrato or Peze Enfumegade
|
Trentino-
Alto Adige
|
Pork
|
Square smoked ham made from the best
parts of the back of the pig, which are hung to smoke over beech
and juniper wood. |
Strinù |
Lombardy
|
Beef and pork
|
Sausage flavored with wine, garlic,
cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper; made in the Valcamonica. |
Su Zurette |
Sardinia
|
Lamb or sheep
|
Blood sausage flavored with mint
and Pecorino. Often spread on pane carasau, because they are
soft even after boiling. |
Testa in Cassetta
|
Liguria
|
Pork
|
Delicately flavored, fatty head cheese. |
Teutenne or Tetette or Tetin |
Val d'Aosta
|
Beef
|
Salted cow udder flavored with sage
and garlic, aged briefly. |
Tzemesada or Mesada |
Val d'Aosta
|
Beef
|
A fresh version of Mocetta, with
a softer texture. |
Ventricina Molisana |
Abruzzo/
Molise
|
Pork
|
Spreadable pork sausage similar to
Ciauscolo; flavored with chili. |
Ventricina Vastese |
Abruzzo
|
Pork
|
Pork salami spiced with chili and
wild fennel; aged at least 3 months. |
Violino |
Lombardy
|
Sheep, goat, or chamois
|
This ham earned its name because
of the way it is held against the shoulder as it is sliced. |
Zampitti |
Apulia
|
Pork, beef, and lamb
|
Long sausages made meat trimmings;
often flavored with grated Pecorino or fennel seeds and best
on the grill. |
Zampone |
Emilia-Romagna
|
Pork
|
Pork meat, head, and rind stuffed
into the skin of the pig's hoof; a specialty of Modena. |
|