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Carpegna Prosciutto
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Identity Card
Product: Carpegna Prosciutto
Product category: Pork products
Raw material: Fresh selected legs obtained from the best quality pigs raised and slaughtered in the Marche, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy regions
Aging: Fourteen months
Zone of production: Town of Carpegna (Pesaro-Urbino)
Denomination: DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) Certification |
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The community of Carpegna, a small town in the province of Pesaro Urbino in the Marche region, on the central eastern coast of Italy, has always been famous for the pigs it raises; in the old days the swine used to be allowed to forage in the oak forests, finding more than enough to eat.
For centuries the meat obtained from these pigs has been preserved by the ancient process of salting. As a matter of fact, the practice of salting meats was already being widely used by 1400. There is an extremely old document regarding the mining of salt that was to be used for preserving legs of pork. It makes mention of the special concessions granted to the Earldom of Carpegna, because of the excellent hams that were produced there. The pigs used for the DOP (Protected Designation of Origin) certified prosciuttos have to weigh from 160 to 170 kg. This weight is necessary in order to guarantee that the meat possesses the requisite characteristics for an aging process that lasts a minimum of 14 months. By the time it is ready to be put on the market, each individual prosciutto has to weigh from 8 to 11 kg and when it is cut the slices have a bright rosy pink color, almost a salmon hue, and the meat is surrounded by a solid ring of glistening white fat. In addition to protecting the meat during the aging process, the fat also happens to be the part of the ham that contains the most intense flavors and aromas, as becomes immediately obvious when enjoying this delicacy.
There is a very strong link between the Carpegna prosciuttos and the land that produces them; the microclimate that this part of Italy is blessed with plays a fundamental role in imbuing these hams with the sweet flavor and rich aroma that make them so distinctive. This prosciutto is at its best when cut by hand into fairly thick slices, but even when it is sliced thinly by machine you can still enjoy its unique features, especially if it is left to sit at room temperature for a few minutes before being served. Cut into little cubes and sautéed with carrots and celery, it can be used as the basis for a soup featuring Pennette Rigate , boiled beans, cherry tomatoes and potatoes. Served with sweet, cool cantaloupe it's a classic treat, especially during the hot part of the year.
Carpegna prosciutto, especially the varieties that have been aged longer, can also be served cut into long slices accompanied by flakes of extra-aged (stravecchio) Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or one of the great pecorini cheeses found in the Marche region. All you need to complete these simple preparations is some fantastic casereccio bread, baked in a wood-fired oven to ensure a perfectly crunchy crust - a winning combination that deserves to be crowned with a fine wine like Rosso Conero riserva.
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