Cotechino pavese is one of Italy‘s Typical Food Products (PAT), prized for its history and centuries-old tradition in the peasant diet of the Oltrepò Pavese area.
Cotechino pavese is included in the register of Typical Food Products (PAT). It is not the classic food recommended for low-calorie diets, as its fat content is very high, but it has been part of the Oltrepò Pavese peasant diet for centuries, thanks to its ability to feed and satiate.
To obtain this product, various cuts of pork are used, such as lean meat, rind, ears, snout, hard lard and back. Everything is seasoned with spices and stuffed into a casing before entering the drying phase. There are different versions throughout Italy, but each region has its own blend of spices, but above all its own microclimate that influences the final product.
The rule would be that drying should take place in conditions of humidity and temperature regulated through frequent air changes and the presence of a hearth such as a wood stove. Today, things have changed and there are special systems to simplify this phase, but the fascination of the processes of the past remains, those that combined the essential, i.e. warming up during the harsh winters, with the useful, i.e. drying the sausages.
Cotechino is often associated with the Christmas season, better still to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Obviously, the reference is to the period when pigs are slaughtered and the combination with lentils has become a symbol of abundance and wealth. During cooking, which is done in initially cold water over low heat for 3 hours, it is important that the cotechino does not burst, which is why it is advisable to remove the two strings at the end, taking care not to puncture the casing.
INGREDIENTS FOR 4 PEOPLE
- 360 g rigatoni (or whatever pasta format you prefer)
- 1 l of tomato puree
- 400 gr of cotechino
- Half a glass of white wine
- Half onion
- 1 carrot
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Rosemary
- Grated cheese
PROCEDURE
Boil the cotechino for the time indicated on the package or directly from the manufacturer. Always start with cold water. Leave to cool.
Prepare a sauté with carrot, onion, rosemary and extra virgin olive oil. Once browned, add the crumbled cotechino and deglaze with white wine. Once the alcohol has evaporated, add the passata and cook for about forty minutes on a low heat. If it dries out too much, add water. Be careful with the salt because cotechino is very tasty by nature.
Boil the water and cook the pasta. Drain and serve with the cotechino sauce. To taste, season with grated cheese.
Wine pairing: Gutè Barbera Oltrepò Pavese DOC - La Travaglina
