Lardo

Years ago lardo was hanging in every Italian larder. It is a type of very thick salted and air-cured lard. Nearly every good sauce or dish started with a battuto di lardo, crushed cubes of the preserved pork fat cooked with oil and garlic or onions. It’s a pity that this is disappearing. However, I always keep a piece of fatty speck, its counterpart from southern Tyrol, which can either be cut into thin slices and eaten on toast or used for flavouring sauces, soups and vegetables.