Discovering Culatello di Zibello DOP

Culatello di Zibello DOP is a cured meat with protected designation of origin obtained from the leg of the pig, ideal both eaten plain and for the preparation of numerous dishes and recipes.

Today we are going to discover one of the most renowned products of the whole Italian territory. We are talking about Culatello di Zibello DOP, a tasty and at the same time delicate cold cut, which is prepared between November and February in Zibello in the Bassa Parmense area , an area close to the Po.

Ideal to be enjoyed during an aperitif in the company of other cold cuts and cheeses, it is a product that is also suitable for numerous dishes and recipes. Let's find out the features and see some ideas for using this wonderful product of Italian excellence in the kitchen!

Culatello and ham: what's the difference?

Many people think that Culatello di Zibello resembles, or even is the same thing as raw ham. In reality, the two products differ in many aspects, starting from the cut , which in the case of Culatello eliminates the rind, fat and bones.

The salting is also different which, if for the ham it is made with only sea salt, for the culatello it is based on a mixture of salt, pepper and garlic.

Finally the seasoning : for raw ham it is at least 12 months, a period of time in which it is left in cool and humid places, while the seasoning time for culatello can never be less than 10 months.

Finally, as regards the flavour , raw ham tends to be tastier, while culatello tends to have a more delicate flavour.

Culatello di Zibello DOP: recipes

It may seem trivial, but one of the best ways to enjoy a product of excellence such as Culatello di Zibello DOP is natural , perhaps accompanied by slices of warm bread or breadsticks.

If you want to give vent to your imagination and give life to delicious recipes with this ingredient, you can use it to prepare excellent first courses, such as tagliolini with culatello and parmesan. Stir the pasta with the cooking water, the Parmesan and a sprinkling of pepper and finally add the coarsely chopped culatello.

Another excellent way to use this tasty cold cut is in a risotto, combining it in creaming with a soft cheese or Roman pecorino .

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a tasty and quick second course, you can try preparing asparagus with butter and culatello. Boil the asparagus in boiling salted water for 15 minutes, then sauté them in a non-stick pan with a knob of butter. Add a sprinkling of grated cheese, and when the asparagus is ready, wrap it two at a time in a slice of Culatello di Zibello. A delicious and easy to prepare dish !

If you want to get to know other typical Italian products, try the Italian PGI truffles ! You will discover many tasty and refined recipes!

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