Sopressata

Sopressata is an Italian dry cured pork salami. Pork has been preserved since ancient times when the Greeks colonized areas of Southern Italy, particularly the Calabria region. Romans wrote of "minced meat, preserved in pork guts", and of using salt and pepper to aid in preservation. Residents of southern Italy are believed to have taught Roman soldiers how to prepare this preserved form of pork.

Sopressata is usually made from pork, but may also be made with beef. Unlike traditional salami, Sopressata is a much coarser grind, often mixed with red pepper flakes. Like salami, they are salted, then air dried to preserve them. They are hung to dry between three and twelve weeks, during which time they lose nearly 30% of their weight. Sopressata is typically pressed with a weight during the drying process which gives it its distinct flattened shape.