Cut & Cure
What is Lardo?
Pronounced /LAR-doh/
Definition
Lardo is pork back fat cured with salt, rosemary, and spices, sliced paper-thin and eaten raw or melted over hot bread.
The most famous version, Lardo di Colonnata, is aged in marble basins in Tuscany.
Chopped into a battuto it adds richness that olive oil cannot, which is how many old ragù recipes start.
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What Italian appetizers are good for a party?
Choose make-ahead, finger-friendly antipasti: crostini or bruschetta, a salumi and cheese board, marinated olives, rosemary almonds, caprese skewers and sausage and peppers sliders. Plan roughly 5 to 6 bites per guest before a meal, or 10 to 12 per guest if appetizers are the whole party.