Ciccioli: a delicious product of the farming tradition

“Nothing of the pig is wasted”. A saying we have heard many times, one of the most famous mottos of Italian gastronomic tradition. The proof that this is not just a simple phrase is provided by the pork ciccioli, a poor salami of peasant origin but characterized by a unique and irresistible flavor.

According to tradition, ciccioli are made from the scraps of the pig: they were created to make the most of every inch of its flavorful meat, a precious resource for peasant families of the past. Today, however, ciccioli, thanks to their pleasant taste, are regaining great success, and for their preparation, more prized cuts of the pig are used, such as pancetta and gola. Before discovering how they are prepared, let's briefly retrace the history of this traditional dish.

CICCIOLI, A CENTENARY STORY

Tradition holds that the recipe for ciccioli has remained unchanged since the Middle Ages, to which the earliest record of this product dates back. In Mantuan homes, ciccioli appeared as early as 1234, an expression of an agricultural economy that made the most out of poultry. But the breeding of pigs has always been the norm throughout the Pianura Padana, especially between Emilia and lower Lombardy: ciccioli quickly spread to the tables of farmers, especially in the autumn and winter months when slaughter traditionally took place. While we know them in Italian as ciccioli, their original name varies from city to city.

They are called grasul in Romagna, graséi in Piacentino, grasòl in Reggiano, grépole in Mantovano, and grasooli in Modenese. The choice of name is obviously influenced by their essential ingredient: pork fat.

CICCIOLI: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY ARE PREPARED

The processing of ciccioli begins by taking pork fat and cutting it into small pieces of irregular size: these are then boiled in a cauldron over low heat to melt the fat and allow the contained water to evaporate. They are cooked in the cauldron for a long time, at least until the pieces of meat rise to the surface in the lard, taking on a nice rosy color. During cooking, the fat breaks down into a liquid part and a more solid part - the ciccioli - that crackles inside.

After about 6 hours of cooking, the ciccioli are extracted by filtering the liquid part, which will then become the clear and flavorful lard used in many other typical preparations from northern Italy. The test for proper cooking involves squeezing a piece of cicciolo between your fingers: if it immediately releases fat, it means it's ready, and further boiling would make them too dry. Once extracted, the ciccioli are laid inside a cloth and pressed in a small press to extract the remaining liquid fat, completely drying them and giving them their typical crunchiness.

CICCIOLI: THE DIFFERENT TYPES

During pressing, soft ciccioli can be flavored with various spices to give them a more aromatic and pronounced taste. Thus, we can find soft ciccioli with bay leaves, a delicacy for more refined palates; or soft ciccioli with chili pepper, a treat for those who prefer a spicy and flavorful taste. The spices can vary widely, from nutmeg to cloves, from cinnamon to black pepper. They often change from province to province, from city to city, and from producer to producer: for example, some prefer to salt them, while others do not. What is important is that the spices are well incorporated into the mixture, giving the ciccioli their unique flavor and making them a perfect snack for various moments of the day.

THE CICCIOLATA

However, there is another traditional salami from the Emilia region that comes from an intelligent recovery of meat that would otherwise be difficult to consume and preserve: cicciolata. This is prepared using a mix of fat and cooked meat that is boiled for hours with vegetables and aromatic herbs, similar to those used for making a good broth. Once cooked, all the meat is removed and coarsely chopped; then crispy ciccioli, salt, pepper, bay leaves are added, and it is cooked a bit longer to blend everything well.

Then, the still warm mixture is wrapped in a linen cloth, the same used by cheesemakers to extract the wheels of Parmigiano Reggiano from the pots, and pressed with a wooden press to remove the excess fat. This procedure gives the salami its typical compact shape, similar to a block of granite. Although considered a "poor" salami, it is actually quite rare because it is rarely found outside the province of Parma.

CICCIOLI: USE IN THE KITCHEN

Since they are made up of more than half of fat, pork ciccioli have a very intense flavor. In tradition, they were often served with polenta and represented a hearty meal. This pairing is still common today, although ciccioli are mainly enjoyed as an aperitif, together with a good glass of Lambrusco, while crumbled they can enhance the flavor of bread, pizza, and focaccia.

On the other hand, the cicciolata is enjoyed cut by hand, into fairly thick slices, accompanied by fresh bread or, even better, on slices of polenta baked in the oven or grilled; or cut into cubes as a snack, paired with a glass of good wine.