Aged Gota (Cured Pork Jowl)

One of the cuts we have always preferred, far too often underrated: the pig’s cheek. After trimming and salting, it appears as a fatty cut with more or less numerous and more or less pronounced streaks. These streaks of lean meat are the secret of its flavour and intense taste. It is probably the most worked “muscle” of the pig, and this makes the lean meat flavourful and the fat extremely melt-in-the-mouth and tasty. The slice looks white with reddish streaks that vary from pale pink to ruby. The texture is firm and compact when cold, but the fat melts immediately when cooked or chewed, coating the whole palate with its spicy flavours and aromas. Black pepper stands out, but there is also a slight hint of garlic, first savoury and then softened by the sweetness of the fat. Queen of Italian cooking, it is now an essential ingredient in authentic sauces such as carbonara, gricia or amatriciana, and an excellent alternative to lardo for wrapping quail, pigeon, pheasant and the like. Crisped up, it will give any soup or cream of legumes or vegetables an extra edge, but simply sliced on warm bread or on a freshly baked schiacciata it will also give you great satisfaction.

For a fresh and tempting taste, we recommend wrapping it around dried prunes, securing everything with a toothpick and keeping it in the refrigerator until aperitif time with your friends. You will have a quick and tasty appetiser that pairs perfectly with light beers or sparkling wines.