Recipe: Italian Pasta Salad with Hot Sopressata Salami
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January 16th is International Hot & Spicy Day, and we found a new recipe that worked for lunch and dinner: Zesty Italian Pasta Salad with Hot Sopressata (photo #1). > Here’s an explanation of salame vs. salume, the different types of salami, and more. > September 7th is National Salami Day. > The recipe is below. But first: Sopressata is dry-cured pork salami, made in both mild and spicy styles. It’s one of the most popular Italian salami types in the U.S., second only to the classic Genoa salame [source]. Sopressata (also spelled soppressata, sopresseta, soprasata and sopresatta) is made from coarsely ground pork sausage, typically lean pork cuts like the shoulder, loin, and/or ham scraps and the best lard (although some producers and regions use fattier meat/less desirable cuts). The combined lean meat and lard create a luscious salami texture that “melts in your mouth.” The ground meat is variously seasoned. The ingredients, flavor, and texture of soppressata vary based on region, with flavors that range from sweet to savory. Every family had—and today, every manufacturer has—its own spice proportions. The result is that the slices are oblong, rather than round. This type of salami first appeared sometime during the 18th century, in the south of Italy. It was popular in the regions of Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, and Puglia. Today, sopressata di Calabria is stamped with the Protected Designation of Origin (Denominazione di Origine Protetta “DOP”) status [source]. The north has its own versions. Sopressa or sopressa Veneta are larger format versions of sopressata. In the Veneto, the northeast corner of Italy†, while they often using the same signature spice blend, some producers leave out the garlic [source]. Sopressata is great alone as a snack with beer or wine, on a charcuterie board, in a sandwich, and in sauces and dishes like the pasta salad recipe below. To get to know sopressata, try versions from different regions and producers, and look for the variety of sweet and spicy notes. For example, The DOP Sopressa made in Vincenza uses lean cuts and is much spicier than the Calabrian variety. In contrast, the sopressa made in Tuscany uses fattier and leftover parts of the pig [source]. This cold pasta recipe was created by Columbus Craft Meats. Bow-tie pasta (farfalle in Italian) are topped with strips of spicy hot sopressata salame, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, toasted pine nuts, shaved Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves lend zing, complementary textures and a delightful nutty taste. The recipe’s dressing is a bit more interesting than the traditional vinaigrette. Here, marinara sauce is blended with red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and crushed red pepper. Prep time is 20 minutes. For The Dressing 1. MAKE the dressing. In blender cup, place the dressing ingredients and blend until smooth. Set aside. 2. TOSS together in large bowl the pasta, salami, artichoke hearts, olives and pine nuts. Drizzle with the dressing. Toss to coat. 3. GARNISH with basil and cheese. |
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________________ †The Veneto region’s capital is Venice, and the largest city is Verona. |
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