Italian Cheese & Salame Hamper
Our new hamper brings together the best of our fresh Italian produce and combines our ever-popular free range Calabrian Black Salame (Salsiccia Dolce, Sopressata and 'Nduja) with three wonderful cheeses from the Grillo family farm Fattoria Bio in the Sila Mountains.
What's inside
Organic Free Range Calabrian Salsiccia Dolce (350g approx) Our salsiccie 'dolce' (Lightly spiced) are prepared from the shoulder and ribs of free range Calabrian Black pork, dry cured and matured in natural casing for 45 days giving them a mild aromatic flavour. They are a 100% natural product containing no gluten, lactose, preservatives, antioxidants, additives or dyes. Excellent sliced with crusty bread and a glass of red wine! Can also be used to make pasta sauces, added to soups or sliced on a pizza.**Winner** Best Mediterranean Salame 2017
Organic Free Range Calabrian Soppressata (350g approx) Probably the most famous Calabrian salame, the Soppressata is made with the finest parts of pork. Pressed under stone weights before being cured it is a little flatter than a normal salame. The Calabrian Black Soppressata is obtained from shoulder and rib cuts and is processed by hand, with a knife cut, in order to avoid any increase in the temperature of the meat which might alter its unique qualities. During treatment natural flavours such as black pepper and sweet peppers are added to the meat giving it its distinctive colour. It is then left to age for a minimum of 90 days. It is highly nutritious and mild - ideal for anyone who doesn't enjoy spicy food. The Soppressata is the sausage that is always served sliced as an appetizer in its home region, sometimes accompanied by local cheeses such as Caciocavallo Silano or Pecorino Crotonese; all washed down by a glass of local wine. It can be sliced cold or left to simmer in an earthenware pot with tomato sauce, to flavour a traditional pasta dish. Great too in a sandwich!
Organic Free Range Calabrian 'Nduja (250g approx) 'Nduja is a traditional spicy Calabrian salame made with finely minced black pork meat mixed with chilli pepper and salt. Seasoned from 40 to 90 days depending on its size, soft, creamy and pleasantly chewy, this unique, spreadable salami is a vibrant orangey-red colour (from the chilli) and has a strong, distinctive taste. If you are familiar with 'Nduja, you will notice that our organic Calabrian Black 'Nduja is much darker in colour than the industrially produced type. This shows the high level of meat content compared to fat. The spicy kick of 'Nduja can be felt everywhere, from the palate to the nose and then especially in the throat! It's extremely addictive too! This is a very versatile type of salami which can be spread on bread, used as a pizza topping, incorporated into pasta sauces, as an accompaniment to roast or baked potatoes or with fried egg.
Aged Pecorino (Reserve) (250g) This Pecorino is a matured, excellent quality artisanal cheese made in the unspoilt Sila National Park in Calabria. Pecorino is one of Italy's oldest cheeses and features heavily in Italian cuisine! Pecorino is made with raw sheep's milk (giving it an authentic rural taste) and aged in ancient vaults. It is a hard, ivory coloured cheese which is a little less salty than the Romano variety and pleasantly spicy.
Pecorino with Chilli (250g) From the beautiful National Park of the Sila Mountains in Calabria comes this semi-matured cheese (aged for 10-15 days), which has been artisanally made on the Grillo family farm with a mixture of sheep (around 95%) & goat milk (around 5%) and a sprinkling of Calabrian peperoncino flakes. It is a semi-hard cheese which is quite salty and pleasingly spicy!The level of protein in this cheese mean that it is of a particularly high nutritional value.
Aged & Smoked Ricotta Salata (250g) Ricotta salata is a harder, saltier version (salata means salted) of the soft Ricotta that we are familiar with. When the ricotta is aged for 10 days (stagionata), pressed and salted it becomes harder and more crumbly but still retains the milky creaminess of traditional ricotta. Our ricotta has also been smoked with beech wood until aromatic and dark. This type of Ricotta is usually grated on pasta, risotto or soup adding a real depth of flavour to the dish. Sicilian Pasta alla Norma is one recipe requiring Ricotta Salata. Try it too crumbled on a salad (like feta), it goes particularly well with fruity salads, for example with watermelon or orange.
All products are carefully wrapped and presented in a strong wooden tray which is hand-tied with a bright ribbon.
This hamper is shipped with ice to keep the products fresh. A gift message option is available at the checkout.
Please note that if we are out of stock of any item we reserve the right to substitute it with the most similar available item.