Sopressata
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Sopressata (called in Italy soppressata) is an Italian dry-cured salami.
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[edit] Preparation
The name is said to come from the fact that it is often pressed with a weight while drying, giving it a characteristic flattened shape. It can be made of fresh hams, as well as other cuts. It sometimes is made using beef, but pork is the traditional meat used. The meat is typically ground more coarsely than for other types of salami, which gives it an uneven, "rustic" appearance when sliced. Sopressata is a specialty of southern Italy, and often includes hot pepper (though, as with all salami, seasonings vary). The sausage is hung up to dry for anywhere between 3 and 12 weeks, depending on the diameter, and loses about 30 percent of its original weight. At the end of the drying phase, the sopressata is commonly stored in jars of olive oil. When eaten, it is commonly sliced thin and placed on crackers or sandwiches.
[edit] Varieties
Depending on Italian geography, other traditional spellings include Soprassata and Soppresata, although in the US, particularly in the northeast where many Italian descendants take pride in making homemade batches of Italian dried sausage each year, it is commonly spelled as Supersata and pronounced "soo-per-sah-ta". The following image is more representative of a premium blend.
In the southern Coal Regions of Pennsylvania Sopressata is also called "supie", which is a slang derivative of the word, although in the northern PA Coal Regions is is pronounced Supersata or "super". In these areas descendants of Southern Italy spend weeks making these dry cured products. The types of dry cured meats are really part of south Italy. Many people think that isca sullo ionio is the birthplace of dry cured meats. The southern Italians preserved their meats in olive oil to prevent famine and drought.[citation needed]
[edit] Examples of Homemade Sopressata
 Grinding the meat |
 Preparing the meat for seasoning |
 Seasoning the meat before casing |
