Meats and cured meats

Campotosto mortadella

Campotosto mortadella: a small mountain oval with a ribbon of lard at its heart

Made in winter in Campotosto, a mountain village near L'Aquila, from finely ground shoulder and ham wrapped around a ten-centimetre strip of lard. It is smoked over oak or beech for some two weeks and then aged in mountain air at around 1,300 metres, with no preservatives or additives. It is a Slow Food Presidium and a traditional agri-food product (PAT) of Abruzzo.

• Sold in pairs tied by hand, and nicknamed coglioni di mulo, mule's balls, for its shape
• Cut it and the deep red slice shows a snow-white core of lard from end to end
• Firm, slightly leathery meat against sweet, crisp lard, with a long, full flavour

How to enjoy it. Slice it and serve it plain, as part of an antipasto or with drinks alongside other Abruzzo cheeses and cured meats, with a wine of real character. Tradition has the first ones cut at Easter.

Production areas

Abruzzo

The full story, sources and places on apulica.com →