making it

Add an extra 12%-15% of selected pork fat from the loin of the pig. The whole mixture should then be spiced with salt, hot pepper or black pepper and red wine.

Our reader states that his family typically added whole black peppercorns, ground black pepper and dried red pepper to their soppressata.

This was done 'a occhio' or by a sixth sense without measurement. It seems their is no clean and cut rule, and like homemade beer or wine, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

We suggest, however, that the overall effect of the Soppressata should be a lively red and strongly flavored. Underdoing the pepper would be a mistake. The meat mixture should then be placed inside the cleaned out 'budello' of the same unfortunate animal.

Each should be about 15cm long and 6cm in diameter. According to Collins Italian Dictionary 'budello' can mean gut, intestine or bowel. The choice is yours.

Next smoke the soppressata for 2 months over the family fireplace. Soppressata di Calabria is ideally accompanied with a bottle of Cirò Rosso wine or a Chianti Classico.