Lentils and cotechino, and the year will be divine.

It’s a classic of Italian culinary tradition! A mix of history and superstition, the latter being very typical of Latin culture.

For the New Year’s Eve dinner, eating lentils means forecasting a year of prosperity and wealth. This is because their shape resembles that of coins, and from this comes the proverb that we all say at least once a year at the table: “Lentils and Cotechino and the year will be divine!” 

Lentils are also a product that, along with eggs, is part of Jewish ceremonies. In short, this tiny legume has shaped the beliefs throughout human history. 

The cotechino has been at the center of a long-standing dispute over whether it originated in Friuli Venezia Giulia or the low plains of the Po Valley. It seems more and more that the claim from Friuli prevails, where it is also called musetto. However, only the one from Modena can be defined as IGP. We offer you the one from the Pedrazzoli family of San Giovanni del Dosso in the Mantova area, which is produced both fresh and precooked, lactose-free, without glutamate, without added sugars, and gluten-free, making it also suitable for people with celiac disease.

If you prefer the softer taste of the rind on the outside, then here is the precooked Zampone from Pedrazzoli, also with the same characteristics as the cotechino.

Finally, the Salama da Sugo, the queen of Ferrara: discover the story, how to cook it, and the typical dish Salama da sugo and mashed potatoes.

Bernardo Pasquali

P.S. Discover our selection of cotechini and zamponi.

S&M