We the Italians October 5, 2015 - 69 | Page 19

th # 69 •OCTOBER 5 , 2015 rectangular shapes and must be between 3 and centimetres thick. After being prepared, it undergoes salting for a period of four to fourteen days. The part on the surface can be covered with chilli powder and other natural ingredients. The seasoning lasts for at least 30 days. When it is ready to be tasted, Pancetta di Calabria DOP has a rectangular shape with a variable thickness of between 3 and 5 cm. When it is cut, it has a pink colour with alternating thin streaks of lean and fat, and it has a delicious flavour. Soppressata di Calabria DOP is prepared with a mixture of medium ground fresh pork meat taken from the thigh, shoulder and tenderloin,The mixture combines the carefully chosen fat taken from the lard from the upper part of the loin close to the neck with natural aromatic ingredients (salt, spicy or sweet red chilli, black pepper and wine). The lard selected must stay within a variable percentage of between 4 and 15% for each kilogram of Salsiccia di Calabria DOP meat process. The seaso- is prepared with a mixtuning lasts at least 45 days. re of ground fresh pork meat, lard and natural aroSoppressata di Calabria matic ingredients: salt and DOP has the following spicy or sweet red chilcharacteristics when pre- li. The percentage of the sented to the consumer: lard content in the mixture its shape is similar to a must stay between 6 and slightly flattened cylin- 20% for each kilogram of der between 10 and 18 meat processed. The mixcm long with a diameter ture is stuffed into natural of between 4 and 8 cm; pork casings, then pierwhen cut, it has solid look ced and hand woven into bordering on soft, with a the characteristic chain or natural red or bright red horseshoe shape. colouration depending on the ingredients used. The The seasoning takes at lewords indicated on the ast 30 days. The words inlabel may include “spicy”, dicated on the label may “sweet”, or “white”, accor- include “spicy”, “sweet”, ding to whether the Sop- or “white”, according to pressata di Calabria DOP whether the Salsiccia di was processed using spi- Calabria DOP was procy chilli, sweet chilli or no duced using spicy chilli, chilli respectively. sweet chilli or no chilli respectively. WE THE ITALIANS | 19 www.wetheitalians.com