Cold cuts and meats
One of the most important and longest-standing culinary traditions in Ticino is the "mazza", menaing the slaughter of pigs. This is a ritual that at one time brought families and village communities together, performed by butchers whose fame spread from settlement to settlement.
Changes to our lifestyle and legislation concerning the production of cured meats meant that this celebration of food has moved from the farmyard to the abattoir. Neverthless, the flavours and expertise belonging to this grat tradition have also begun to rear beef cattle, producing succulent, prized cuts of meat. From the selction of cured meats and by-products produced, salami and pork, horse, venison and wild boar salametti are becoming ever more popular, and are a fixture in every grotto. Other fine food include dried meet (beef and horse), Cappocollo, lard flat and rolled pancetta, Luganiga sausage, Luganighetta (fantastic barbecued or in a risotto), raw or cooked liver mortadella, pig's trotter and Violino di Capra (goat prosciutto). Other dishes that appeal to foodies are ossobuco (cross-cut veal shank), braidsed meat and shin, accompanied by polenta or risotto, barbecued baby pork ribs, goat and lamb from the region's pastures and busecca (tripe soup).
Features
- TYPICAL PRODUCTS Cold cuts