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Capocollo


Capocollo (Italian pronunciation: [kapoˈkɔllo]) or coppa ([ˈkoppa]) is a traditional Italian and Corsican pork cold cut (salume) made from the dry-cured muscle running from the neck to the 4th or 5th rib of the pork shoulder or neck. The name capocollo comes from capo ("head") and collo ("neck"). It is a whole muscle salume, dry cured and, typically, sliced very thin. It is similar to the more widely known cured ham or prosciutto, because they are both pork-derived cold-cuts that are used in similar dishes. However, it is not brined as ham typically is.

This salume is typically called capocollo or coppa in much of Italy and Corsica. Other regional names include capicollo (Campania), capicollu (Corsica), finocchiata (Tuscany), lonza (Lazio) and lonzino (Marche and Abruzzo). Outside of Europe, the cold cut is called bondiola or bondiola curada in Argentina. In North America, name variants such as capicola, capicolla (Canada) and gabagool (New Jersey) are also used.

In its production, capocollo is first lightly seasoned often with red and sometimes white wine, garlic, and a variety of herbs and spices that differ depending on region. The meat is then salted (and was traditionally massaged) and stuffed into a natural casing, and hung for up to six months to cure. Sometimes the exterior is rubbed with hot paprika before being hung and cured. Differences in flavor also depend on what type of wood the producer uses for smoking, and the breed of pig. Capocollo is essentially the pork counterpart of the air-dried, cured beef bresaola. It is widely available wherever there are significant Italian communities, thanks to commercially produced varieties. There is also a slow-roasted Piedmontese version called coppa cotta.


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