Capicola

Sliced sweet Capocollo

Capocollo (in the United States, cappicola, coppa in Canada, capicollo or capicolla),[1] or coppa, is a traditional Italian pork cold cut (salume) made from the dry-cured muscle running from the neck to the 4th or 5th rib of the pork shoulder or neck. This cold cut is sometimes called coppa. The name capocollo comes from capo ("head") and collo ("neck") of a pig. The Italian word "capocollo'" is of Italian origin, but its precise etymology is unknown (in Latin caput means head and collum means neck, or head and neck). It is a whole muscle salume, dry cured and, typically, sliced very thin. It is similar to the more widely known cured ham or prosciutto, because they are both pork-derived cold-cuts that are used in similar dishes. However, coppa is not brined as ham typically is.

Manufacture and use

In its production, capocollo is first lightly seasoned, often with red and sometimes white wine, garlic, and a variety of herbs and spices that differ depending on region. The meat is then salted (and was traditionally massaged) and stuffed into a natural casing, and hung for up to six months to cure. Sometimes the exterior is rubbed with hot paprika before being hung and cured. Differences in flavor also depend on what type of wood the producer uses for smoking, and the breed of pig. Capocollo is essentially the pork counterpart of the air dried, cured beef bresaola. It is widely available wherever there are significant Italian communities, thanks to commercially produced varieties. There is also a slow-roasted Piedmontese version called coppa cotta.

Capocollo is esteemed for its delicate flavor and tender, fatty texture and is often more expensive than most other salumi. In many countries, it is often sold as a gourmet food item. It is usually sliced thin for use in antipasto or sandwiches such as muffulettas, Italian grinders and subs, and panini as well as some traditional Italian pizza.

Varieties and official status

A piece of Coppa Spécialité Corse (Corsica). A balanced quantity of white fat is important for flavour and softness.

Two particular varieties, Coppa Piacentina and Capocollo di Calabria, have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) status under the Common Agricultural Policy of European Union law, which ensures that only products genuinely originating in those regions are allowed in commerce as such.

Four additional Italian regions produce capocollo, and are not covered under European law, but are designated as "Prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale" (P.A.T.) by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies:

Outside Italy, Coppa is traditionally produced also in the French island of Corsica under the names of coppa or capicollu.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Canadian Oxford Dictionary 2nd ed., 2004.

External links

Look up capicola in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.