Emilia Romagna is, by tradition, one of the “homelands” of the best and best known sausages in Italy. In particular, the area of Parma and Piacenza boasts – among others – the ancient Mariola custom. It is a big salami – mariöla in Piacenza dialect – originally from the high Valnure, among the oldest of the Emilia heritage, which is distinguished by its rounded shape – which in some cases resembles the shape of a ball – with a marked flavor and with spicy fragrance. A salami that, although of Emilian origin, is also present in other surrounding areas. The Geographic position of Piacenza, placed as it is between Lombardy and Liguria, has favored a certain exchange between regional areas, with different ways of using this savory sausage. La Mariola, in fact, is also very present in Cremona, where it is called Ciota.
The Mariola
The Mariola was mentioned, for the first time in 1883, in the Piacentino-Italian vocabulary created by Lorenzo Foresti. The term indicated the cecum intestine of pig, used, in fact, to bag the pork sausage. The preparation of raw Mariola, in Parma and Piacenza, originated from the need to preserve the best parts of the pig for a long time after slaughter, as there weren’t any refrigerators at the time. By finely chopping the meat, flavoring it with garlic and wine and inserting it into the casing, they could guarantee the conservation even for a year. This procedure was, in the past, the prerogative of the most well-to-do classes, while the poorest peasants and classes came up with the mariola to be cooked, using the less noble cuts of the pig, but which could be consumed little by little and according to necessity, without having to preserve it for long periods. Traditionally, the pig was slaughtered in the days around the Madonna dell’Immacolata (8th December), and the Mariola was one of the pork products that had to be sufficient until the following winter. Among the specific characteristics of the Mariola there is the seasoning, which, in the Piacenza area, assumes a unique characteristic. The hilly climate, characterized – in late winter and spring – by the influx of temperate air coming from Liguria, is ideal for cured meats.
Preparation
The raw Mariola, protected by a Slow Food presidium, is obtained by working noble parts of the pig, in particular the shoulder and the thigh, which are ground and flavored with the addition of garlic and white wine. There is also a cooked version of Mariola, whose shape is reminiscent of a cotechino. It is prepared using less valuable pork cuts, such as cheek, tongue, rind and nose, flavored with salt, pepper, garlic, cinnamon, nutmeg and red wine. This version, intended for cooking, is particularly common also in the Cremona area. Due to its size and its long aging, it has also became the salami of Christmas holidays par excellence.
Originally, the Mariola was prepared using local pig breeds, such as the Mora Romagnola, the Nera Parmigiana and the Borghigiana, which are now supported by imported animals, particularly used for industrial breeding. In this sense, the Slow Food Presidium aimed at promoting those who still produce the Mariola following the ancient and artisanal procedures, also safeguarding the long aging process. Process that, if carried out according to the scheduled times, can cause a significant weight loss of the product, which in some cases reaches up to 50% of the original one.
Thanks also to this recognition, the number of producers who are dedicated to the preparation of Mariola according to the ancient tradition is increasing. These include some producers in the town of Farini, who carry on this ancient gastronomic heritage. The production time of the Mariola goes from the beginning of autumn and lasts until spring, at the time of the year when the cold temperatures allow the best conservation of pork. Currently, standard seasoning ranges from a minimum of 6 months to a maximum of 12 months.
La Mariola is served
The best way to fully appreciate this salami is, in the raw version, to savor it naturally, perhaps accompanied by the Tigella a typical focaccia of the Modena cuisine. Often, Mariola is served along with other specialties of local meats becoming a characteristic appetizer, in this case it is all served alongside the typical fried Gnocco.
Moreover, in the coldest period, this salami is used to enrich legume and barley soups, or to flavor dishes such as potato and pumpkin soups.
The cooked version of Mariola, however, is a characteristic dish of the Christmas period. After being boiled for a long time, over a low heat, wrapped in a cloth, it is served with mashed potatoes, lentils and, in Cremona, with a fruit mustard. There is also a recipe based on fried Mariola, which sees the use – as is also done with other types of boiled sausages – of this cooked and sliced salami, then fried in a pan. This recipe includes an accompanying puree.
As for the wine pairings, the Mariola can be accompanied in an excellent way with two wines characteristic of local production: Lambrusco and Bonarda Piacentina.
