Ferragosto (a mid-August Italian holiday) is approaching and what could be better than a nice picnic in the open air to celebrate it? Whether you prefer the tranquility of the woods or the noise of a beach, the requirements of the ultimate picnic are always the same. 

Keywords, comfort and convenience. Preparations must be easy to transport and easy to eat. And - given the current tropical temperatures - if we can avoid spending hours in front of ovens and stoves, all the better. 

For our Ferragosto we chose a full immersion in our country’s cured meats. The preparations you’ll find below are quick to make, easy to eat - most of the time you won’t even need cutlery - and above all delicious! 

Sandwiches, flat bread & Co.

Still a great picnic classic. 10/10 in practicality, you don’t even need plates. 

Varzi Salami, when curing is an art

Let’s start with PDO Salame di Varzi, a culinary delicacy of the Oltrepo Pavese area. It is one of the finest Italian cured meats, thanks to the selected cuts, the skilful grinding of the meat, the perfect dosage of spices and the completely natural seasoning. 

To enhance its goodness we put it in a nice sandwich paired with PDO Caciocavallo Silano and sweet and sour eggplants. Alternatively, for those who aren’t into strong flavours, pecorino giovane cheese and walnut cream. Watch out: the walnut creams on the market contain a little bit of everything, you should generally choose the one with the shortest ingredients list. 

Culatello di Zibello, the most prized cold cut

The PDO culatello di Zibello (the central part of the pork leg) is the king of Italian cold cuts. It is the heart of the ham and you can only get one from each pig. Let’s also add that it must cure at least 18 months and its production is entirely traditional and the price is well explained. 

The culatello is not a cold cut you eat every day. Could Ferragosto be just the right opportunity you’ve been waiting for to enjoy it? But remember, it must be consumed on its own, if you manage to find the so-called “micca di Parma” – a sort of crunchy rosetta bread – even better.

‘Nduja very hot

We already discussed ‘nduja from Spilinga’s history, let’s also see how to bring this Calabrian excellence to our Ferragosto picnic. 

If you want to knead and turn on the oven, a pizza with ‘nduja, buffalo mozzarella and olives will reward your efforts. If you prefer a more practical solution, stuff a soft focaccia with ‘nduja, ricotta cheese and roasted peppers in oil. 

Omelettes and quiches

It takes a little extra time to make them, it’s true, but what a delight! Maximum practicality is still the keyword, you can also eat these preparations with your hands.

Pork jowl, from the first courses of tradition to the picnic basket

Pork jowl, another sensational cured meat, has a high percentage of fat. For this reason it is ideal for sauces such as Amatriciana or Carbonara: when cooking, the fat melts and makes the pasta super tasty. 

The “Carbonara” omelette with pork jowl, pecorino romano cheese and some ground black pepper is the picnic version of the most traditional goodness.

Fatback between Tuscany and Liguria

Another cold cut that gets even better with heat. During Ferragosto it is used for the so-called “torta baciocca”, a must of Ligurian cuisine. 

For the base we need the “pasta matta” dough, without eggs or butter, only flour, water, oil and salt. For the filling take some finely sliced potatoes browned with fatback and onion, eggs and Parmesan. If you didn’t know this recipe yet, take the opportunity of the picnic to try it. 

Mortadella, sandwiches and much more

Could we talk about sausages and cured meats without mentioning mortadella? Good, sweet and fragrant, delicious between some rosetta bread but also perfect as an ingredient of quiche and pies. 

The quiche with mortadella, smoked scamorza cheese and zucchini, for example, is a real treat. Or, if you prefer, mortadella, buffalo mozzarella and dried tomatoes. In short, you just need to have exceptional ingredients to make no mistake. 

Pasta and vegetable salads

Shouldn’t we also bring a nice first course to this picnic? And a fresh salad, prepared in the blink of an eye? 

Speck, the scent of the mountain

PGI Speck Alto Adige is the perfect symbol of the art of smoking. It is a one of a kind cured meat, with an ancient history and unforgettable taste. 

We are used to seeing it on all kinds of platters in Trentino, perhaps with pickled cucumbers and rye bread, but it also goes very well with cold pasta. Our favourite? Pasta with speck, walnuts and truffle porcini sauce. A forkful that smells like the mountains, wherever you are. 

Tuscan soprassata, the reuse of goodness

We all know that all cured meats and sausages were born from the need to store meat for times of famine. Soprassata in particular is the tangible demonstration that when it comes to the pig, nothing is thrown away. 

Tuscan soprassata is exceptional in a salad with cannellini beans. For a more original variant, add boiled potatoes and celery. 

Dry-cured ham…

Last but not least, ham. Whether it’s Parma or San Daniele, we are talking about one of the milestones of Italian gastronomy. 

The list of salads is potentially endless, among our favourites we have Parma ham with melon, arugula and walnuts, or with figs cut into quarters and goat cheese.

Is it possible to put all the goodness, the gastronomic culture and the craftsmanship of our territory in one picnic basket? Sure, just choose the best Italian cured meats!