Cotechino, a traditional peasant cold cut, is often only eaten at Christmas time. It is true that it is usually produced in winter, because it was originally used as an ingredient for soups or eaten with legumes, but the cotechino sausage has such a fragrant and aromatic flavour that it should be eaten all year round. Its story is very ancient: it was first mentioned in 1745.

The handmade cotechino by Podere Cadassa is made with the pork hind ham hock and the rind meat. The meat, carefully selected by the Podere’s expert butchers, is coarsely minced, flavoured with natural aromas and filled in natural casings. The sausage is then left to dry out for at least ten days. Podere Cadassa, a very old family business, makes refined cold cuts exclusively by hand, according to ancient peasant food traditions. The sausages rest in the farmhouse’s huge rooms where the windows, overlooking the surrounding countryside, are left ajar, and undergo daily quality checks.

The cotechino sausage must be cooked before eating: to speed up the process, this cotechino has already been precooked. You will only need to leave it in a boiling water bath for around thirty minutes. According to tradition, it should be served with legumes, such as lentils, and mashed potatoes.