" CULATELLO " 

The " culatello "  Before eating  How it is preserved  The wine  The recipe

Culatello is oneof the most pretigious "Salami" of the Italian tradition, it originatesin the Parma province and in particular from the Zibello area. It is madefrom the muscular rear legs of the pig, with the skin and bones removed,matured in the ars on the banks of the river Po and of the lower Parma.Taking Prosciutto as reference which is made from the internal thigh, culatellois obtained from maturing only the rear musclc of the thigh, for at least12 months. The other parts are used to produce "fiocchetto". This "salami"is made to mature inside bladder, which is then tied with a course networkof string.
Its weight varies from 3 to 5 kg; its form is charateristcally pearshaped. To obtain a culatello you have to "disassemble" a thigh, givingup its use for an already valuble product such as "prosciutto"; this togetherwith the craftsmans workmanship, the lengthy maturing and its pleasurabletaste explain the particularly high cost.
 
 

Before eating
It is important that before eating the culatellohas been well matured; freed from the string, passed under tiepid runningwater and scrubbed with care. Once softened, the skin must be removed,the external fat perfectly trimmed away and cut into thin sces preferablyby hand.
 

How to keep it.
To best keep culatello, you spread a small amountof olive oil and butter on the part which has been cut, wrap it up in acloth, best if linen, and kept in a cool place which must not be a fridgewhich would deaden the taste.
 

Accompanying Wine
Culatello in its magnificence, is able to co-habitatewith the highest personality, as well as with simple and popular resources.We advise the elegant and cheeky dry Malvasia, or Fortana d'annata of agood year, a red wine slightly fizzy.
 

Recipe
The recipe for the hard to please; culatello ina tiepid balsamic vinegar sauce with "gallinella" salad and pine kernals.

• 400g culatello
• 250g cream (of milk)
• a knob of butter
• 8 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 2 or 3 tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 200 gr "gallinella" salad
• a handful of pine kernals
• one tablespoon of sugar
• ground white peppar and salt

Place in the pan the knob of butter, then place iton heat at medium intensity, pour in the balsamic vinegar and let it reduceslightly; add the sugar and allow the vinegar to reach a slight velvetycontexture. Pour in the cream (fresh cream) and let it educe a little morefor a few minutes also avoiding to bring it to the boil. Towards the endflavour it with the Parmigiano-Reggiano and adjust with salt and pepper.Place the culatello on a serving plate and garnish with the balsamic saucestill hot. D orate with the "gallinela" salda and sprinkle it with thepine kernals.