Cicciolata

Description

Cicciolata is typical of the area of Parma, and it’s here to prove that every part of a pig is good for something: in fact, this cold cut is made with scraps from pork head that would otherwise be quite hard to consume and preserve, mixed with Ciccioli – crunchy “leftovers” from the production of lard – and herbs.
Giovannino Guareschi, a well-known Italian author, once described it as similar to “a block of granite, yet extremely heartier”; Such a peculiar appearance is due to the fact that Cicciolata is squeezed with a wooden press to remove excess fat.
It can be diced or hand-cut into thick slices and served with bread, or left to melt upon a slice of warm Polenta