Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Coppa di Parma PGI 



Is a traditional Italian cured meat, whose origins seem to date back to the 17th century where it was referred to in some documents of the time as “invested salami” or “biondole”. The Coppa di Parma PGI is produced following the specifications of the Consortium for the Protection of the Coppa di Parma PGI of Parma which identifies the entire production process of this particular product, from the production area to the type of meat to be used up to the procedure for arriving at the final product.

The production areas of the Coppa di Parma PGI are located in hilly and flat areas in Emilia Romagna and Lombardy, in the provinces of Mantua, Modena, Parma, Pavia, Reggio Emilia and in the municipalities on the Po ‘strip of the provinces of Cremona, Lodi and Milan. These areas are perfect for the production of this traditional cured meat as, thanks to the generally humid climate, cold in winter and hot in summer, they facilitate slow and constant curing of the Coppa di Parma PGI.

The choice of meats is accurate, using only heavy Italian pork of some breeds, pure or derived from these, such as Duroc, Landrace and Large White.

The pork cut used for the production of the Coppa di Parma PGI is the muscular portion of the neck, which is peeled, trimmed and, through dry salting, the meat is massaged with salt, spices and natural flavors to slowly flavor them from 6 to 10 days. They are then placed in cold storage to rest for about 5 days and stuffed exclusively into natural casings, tied by hand with hemp twine to then move on to the drying phase, a delicate moment where excess water is released.

Follows the curing phase, which will allow the product to take on its unique aroma and flavor. This period can last a minimum of 60 days for the smaller cold cuts up to a minimum of 90 days for the larger ones.

The cut of the coppa is a part of pork whose use is widespread throughout Italy and each region interprets this cut with its own version typical of the territory. From these different processes derive cured meats with different names among which we can find the capocollo, the loin or the lonzino, each with different characteristics due to different production methods.

Coppa di Parma PGI has a typical cylinder shape and a relatively short seasoning. It is characterized by a compact slice when cut, white in the fat part and red in the lean part. On the palate it has a delicate and slightly savory taste, perfect to accompany other cold cuts for a mixed platter accompanied by bread or fried cake. It is also versatile in the kitchen, lightly seared, it can accompany vegetable soups or flavor roasts or other meat dishes.

INGREDIENTS
Pork meat, salt, dextrose, spices, natural flavors; antioxidant: sodium ascorbate; preservatives: sodium nitrite, potassium nitrate.

CONSERVATION TIPS
Store in the refrigerator and, once opened, store in cling film or in a kitchen towel and consume within 30 days. Keep refrigerated!

It is a cured meat with multiple uses, which goes well with different dishes thanks to its particular spicy flavor, decisive but never too intrusive. So, let's see what can be some uses that can be made of the coppa in the immense inventory of Italian culinary tradition. In its dried version, therefore intended as a salami, the coppa can be an excellent substitute for the usual pasta with bacon or amatriciane. For example, you can fry three slices for diner in a pan with butter, just long enough for it to become transparent (no more than two minutes). Separately, cook linguine – or alternatively any other long pasta and stir everything with good pesto. Just before serving the dish, you can add other decorative coppa slices and an extra sprinkling of pecorino cheese. The result will be a dish as unusual as it is delicious.

A good way to cook it, to prevent it from drying out, is on the griddle. Be sure to chop the outer flaps if they have excess fat, heat a little oil and when it starts to smoke add the coppa. Cook over moderate heat 4 minutes per side, being careful not to pierce it when you turn it. Once cooked, place the meat on a plate, add salt and pepper and cover with a sheet of aluminum foil for two minutes before serving.

 

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