CIFF E CIAFF - Braised Pork Belly with Garlic and Olives

The pig has sustained the Italian population for centuries with salumi and prosciutti.  Pork is in fact universally recognized as the "King of the table."  Pork was and continues to be a forever-present meat staple in the Abruzzese kitchen.  So important in fact, that the Pig Museum (Il Museo del maiale) opened in Carpineto Sinello, Abruzzo. 

CIFF e CIAFF is a characteristic dish usually served during the killing ritual of the pig.  The dish utilizes the”guanciale" or the “cheek” portion of the pig between the head and the shoulder.  Guanciale is similar to bacon in composition.


Pork ciff e ciaff  with broccoli di rape
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Keeping with the tradition, I still make this dish but instead of guanciale I prefer using pork belly.



Ingredients - 4 persons

2 lb. pork belly with skin

4 tablespoons of olive oil
8 whole garlic cloves with skin on

1/2 cup cured olives

8 dry red chilies

Salt and pepper

Procedure

Cut pork belly into cubes about 1" in size.  Add salt and pepper.  In a hot, cast iron skillet, add the oil and meat.  Cook over medium heat about 15 minutes.  Cover and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Uncover.  Crack the whole garlic cloves and add to meat. Cook until garlic is tender and brown.  Add the olives and dry red peppers and continue cooking for an additional 5 minutes.  The meat should be brown and crisp.  Serve with broccoli di rape or any other greens.

As you can see, pork is KING on our table.

Meathead Goldwyn: Lip Smackin' Pigskin Cracklins for Game Snackin

Home-made Flat Pancetta - Pancetta Tesa

In Italy, up to 40-50 years ago, raising a hog for a year and then killing it for home consumption was a rule in all families and mine was no exception. The best time for this particular operation was the winter. Therefore, during the months of January and February was salumi making time – sausages, prosciutto, pancetta and capicolli. Nothing was thrown away.  The ears were braised, the tongue poached, the feet thrown in sauce and the skull and the bones used for stock.  Today, we do not raise a pig but we maintain the tradition of making home-made sausages and pancetta.

Cured Flat Pancetta
All photo Copyright - ©2010 - La Casa e Il Giardino - picasaweb

 Flat Pancetta - Pancetta Tesa

Ingredients

1 - 2 - 3 lb. pork belly with skin on
1/2 lb. kosher salt
3 tablespoons crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons coarsely crushed fennel seeds
3 tablespoons coarsely crushed black pepper

Pork belly with skin on

Home-made crushed red pepper

Spices - Fennel seeds, black pepper
red pepper

Take a 2 to 3 lb. pork belly with skin on.  Place it in a deep pan (Corning wear) and cover it with 1/2 inch of Kosher salt.  Cover with a cloth and place a heavy object on top of it (I use two filled gallons).  The pressure helps excrete the water out of the meat.  Every other day, turn it over, up to 6 to 7 days.
   
After a week, remove the pork belly from the salt and wash thoroughly with white wine.  Repeat several times until all salt is removed.  Pat thoroughly dry.


Prepare a mixture of spices - black pepper, fennel seeds and  red pepper.  Place the mixture of spices in a mortar and crush.   

Rub and press the spice mixture all over the dry pork belly.

At one corner of the pork belly make a hole.  With a butcher string create a loop and hang it to age in a cool place.  (Curing chamber not needed).  We use our basement cantina.  Curing time 30 to 45 days.  Optimal temperature 40 to 50 degrees - 70% humidity.

Whenever you want to "kick up" a dish, add pancetta.