Pancetta
Pancetta is one of several types of cured Italian pork. It is made from pork belly, having all of the meat on one side and a generous portion of fat on the other. In Italy, it is usually in the form of a slab, but outside of Italy, the most popular form is in a roll so the meat and fat spiralled around each other. The roll is then cut into thin, circular slices which can be eaten as is or fried. Slab pancetta is often diced or chopped to be used in recipes that usually involve some form of pasta.
What is Pancetta?
Pancetta is safe to eat without cooking because it is a fully cured meat. Pancetta is made by salting it and adding a mix of spices. The exact types of spices used can vary, but the most used spices are garlic, black pepper, dried chili pepper, fennel, and nutmeg. Each region of Italy has a different recipe for pancetta, and most Italians can tell where it comes from by taste and texture. It takes 2 to 3 months of curing in a cool place before it is ready to be called pancetta.
Several regional types of pancetta benefit from having a protected geographical status, meaning it cannot legally be made in anywhere else but from its traditional region, much like champagne.
Where is Pancetta Eaten?
Pancetta is not only popular in its country of origin, but it is often eaten in Spain, the United Kingdom, and Croatia. Spain, however, is the only other country where it is regularly served in the slab form. In Spain, it can be cut into long, thick strips, which are fried in olive oil and served as a common side dish. In rural areas, it can commonly be found in the company of fried eggs and spicy sausage on the breakfast table. In the UK, pancetta is uniquely prepared by cubing it and selling it in packs of cubes.
How to Make Pancetta
Simple pancetta can be prepared by anyone with access to fresh pork belly. All that is required is the pork belly, salt, and a few preferred spices. It is best made with about 2 kilos of pork belly. To prepare pancetta, take a 2 kilo pork belly and lay it down in a deep container with a flat bottom. It must go fat-side down. It is then dusted with fine-ground salt. The salt should be as powdery as possible.
Garlic is a must for pancetta. Fresh garlic works best. Using a pestle and mortar, grind down a few cloves of garlic. The exact amount depends on personal taste. Once the garlic is in the form of a paste, it spread evenly over the slab. Peppercorns should then be rubbed into the garlic. Finally, a few other spices are added that may include a bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, or ground cloves. Finally, a thick layer of salt goes over the entire slab, and it is patted into the meat creating an air-tight coating.
Once the pork belly is cured and spiced it is put in a cool, dry place and left to sit for three full weeks. After the three weeks, the slab is lifted out of the pan, and the excess salt is shaken off. With an awl or other sharp instrument, a hole is then made in one end of the slab. The hole should not be too near the top because it must bear the weight of the slab as it hangs in a cool area that has adequate ventilation. After hanging for one month, the pancetta is ready to be cut and eaten, or used in a favourite recipe.