Lardo

Lardo (Italian for " bacon " ) is a particularly mature, fatty bacon of Italian cuisine. The most famous varieties come from the Aosta Valley and Colonnata in Tuscany.

Lardo di Colonnata is a protected geographical indication (PGI) - in Italian Indicazione geografica protetta ( IGP).

For Lardo back fat is used by roaming pigs, and includes only the fixed upper part just below the rind. Since range pigs are much heavier and fat than usual fattening pigs, this part of the back fat is about five inches thick.

The production of Lardo varies regionally, but usually the bacon is cut into large square pieces, rubbed with salt and flavored with spices such as bay leaves, pepper, sage, juniper, nutmeg and garlic, layered and complains, then it is aged three to six months in troughs made ​​from special varieties of Carrara marble. In colonnata only a large- crystalline type of marble is used for the stone tanks. The containers are covered with marble slabs during the ripening process. Good lard is white or slightly rosy colored, with a delicate aroma, slightly salty and slightly sweet with a hint of walnuts taste. The consistency should be firm yet smooth melting. Yellowish colored lard is stored incorrectly and tastes rancid.

Prepared in this way bacon is known since ancient times, came in the last decades but somewhat forgotten, and enjoys a recently rediscovered in Italy and Germany in gourmet shops. It was the diet for the quarry workers in Carrara and the Aosta valley. Lardo is pure eaten as an appetizer, serve on bread or fried in part, as a condiment for pasta dishes like spaghetti alla gricia, polenta, soups and salads.