flipSpalla Cotta di San Secondo
Spalla Cotta di San Secondo
Why this dish? Verdi was crazy about *spalla cotta* from San Secondo, a stone's throw from his home. He ordered it and sent it by post to his friends, including Rossini — it is one of the best-attested dishes of his tastes, mentioned in his correspondence.
A salted, spiced pork shoulder, slowly cooked in broth, sliced hot and melting, served with bread and a glass of red wine from the Bassa.
Here is my true pride, better than all the bravos from the stalls. The *spalla* of San Secondo, I had it sent to Rossini himself, by post, as one offers what is most precious. You salt it, you spike it with spices, you let it rest, then you cook it gently in simmering water for hours — never let it boil, heavens! You slice it hot, with bread and a glass of my red. This is the table of a man of the land, and I am not ashamed of it.
- •Boneless pork shoulder — one piece (base)
- •Salt — generously (curing)
- •Pepper, clove, cinnamon — to hand (curing spices)
- •Garlic and white wine — a little (curing aromatics)
Spalla Cotta di San Secondo
A salted, spiced pork shoulder, slowly cooked in broth, sliced hot and melting, served with bread and a glass of red wine from the Bassa.
Why this dish? Verdi was crazy about *spalla cotta* from San Secondo, a stone's throw from his home. He ordered it and sent it by post to his friends, including Rossini — it is one of the best-attested dishes of his tastes, mentioned in his correspondence.
Here is my true pride, better than all the bravos from the stalls. The *spalla* of San Secondo, I had it sent to Rossini himself, by post, as one offers what is most precious. You salt it, you spike it with spices, you let it rest, then you cook it gently in simmering water for hours — never let it boil, heavens! You slice it hot, with bread and a glass of my red. This is the table of a man of the land, and I am not ashamed of it.
Ingredients (period version)
- Boneless pork shoulder — one piece (base)
- Salt — generously (curing)
- Pepper, clove, cinnamon — to hand (curing spices)
- Garlic and white wine — a little (curing aromatics)
Ingredients
- *Spalla cotta* or cured pork knuckle/shoulder — 1.2 kg (base)
- Coarse salt — for curing (if not pre-cured) (curing)
- Pepper + 2 cloves + 1 pinch cinnamon — 1 tsp (spices)
- Dry white wine — 1 glass (aromatic)
- Country bread and light red wine (e.g., Fortana) — to serve (accompaniment)
Method
- If the piece is already cured (store-bought *spalla cotta*), skip to cooking; otherwise, rub with salt and spices, refrigerate for 48 hours.
- Wrap the shoulder in a clean cloth and tie tightly.
- Plunge into a large pot of cold water, add the white wine, bring to a VERY gentle simmer (never a boil).
- Cook for 3 to 4 hours (about 1 hour per 'turn' depending on weight) until a needle pierces without resistance.
- Let cool for 20 minutes in its broth, remove the cloth, slice hot, and serve with bread and red wine.
How it was made : *Spalla cotta* from San Secondo Parmense is an ancient traditional cooked cured meat of the Bassa. In Verdi's time, it was cured on the farm, then slowly cooked in a cauldron; the cloth maintained its shape and juiciness.
The contemporary twist : Serve in thin slices on a wooden board with a spoonful of sweet mustard — a nod to the parcel Verdi mailed to his friends: 'the Maestro's *spalla*'.
Sources : Correspondence of Giuseppe Verdi (gastronomic exchanges with his close ones) · Pellegrino Artusi, *La scienza in cucina e l'arte di mangiar bene*, 1891
Giuseppe Verdi · Charactorium