Coppiette Romane

Name: Coppiette Romane
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 6 h
Total time: 6 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Laziale
Ingredients: 800 g Pork loin; 18 g Fine sea salt; 10 g peperoncino flakes; 8 g wild fennel seeds; 5 g sweet paprika; 3 g Garlic powder; 3 g Black pepper; 40 ml Dry white wine

Coppiette Romane are chewy, spiced, and air-dried strips of cured lean pork, flavoured intensely with chilli, fennel seeds, and white wine.

🇮🇹Italy· Lazio

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 360 min
Total: 380 min
Servings: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 190 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 8 gathered

Servings

800 g Pork loin — trimmed of all visible fat
18 g Fine sea salt — for curing
10 g peperoncino flakes — dried red chilli flakes
8 g wild fennel seeds — lightly crushed in a mortar
5 g sweet paprika — for colour and mild warmth
3 g Garlic powder — fine powder
3 g Black pepper — coarsely ground
40 ml Dry white wine — such as Frascati or Castelli Romani

Equipment

•sharp chef's knife
•wire cooling rack
•baking sheet
•baking parchment
•mixing bowl

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 190 kcal
fat: 6 g
carbs: 2 g
fibre: 1 g
protein: 31 g
calories: 190 kcal

Instructions

1
Trim all visible fat and silver skin meticulously from the pork loin.
2
Slice the meat lengthwise into long strips roughly one centimetre wide and thick.
3
Place the sliced pork into a large non-reactive mixing bowl.
4
Add the sea salt, chilli flakes, crushed fennel seeds, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper.
5
Pour in the white wine and massage the seasonings thoroughly into the meat for three minutes.
6
Cover the bowl tightly and chill in the refrigerator for twenty-four hours to cure.
7
Preheat your fan oven to 60 degrees C.
8
Lay the pork strips in a single layer on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet.
9
Dry in the oven for five to six hours, propping the door open slightly with a wooden spoon.
10
Remove when the meat is dark red, firm, and pliable without snapping.
11
Cool the meat strips completely to room temperature before serving.

Chef's tips

Trim every trace of fat from the meat, as fat will spoil and impede drying. Propping the oven door open slightly allows essential moisture to escape so the meat dries rather than bakes.

Ingredient substitutions

pork loin → lean beef topside, fully trimmed of fat
wild fennel seeds → standard fennel seeds, crushed coarsely

Storage

Store in an airtight glass jar or brown paper bag in a cool, dry cupboard for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Coppiette are traditionally enjoyed at room temperature and must not be reheated.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Leaving fat on the meat strips, which prevents even dehydration and causes spoilage.
•Over-drying the meat until it turns brittle rather than delightfully chewy.
•Closing the oven door completely, which traps steam and cooks the meat instead of drying it.

Serving suggestions

Serve tied in traditional pairs alongside a carafe of chilled Frascati white wine.Enjoy with crusty rustic bread and aged pecorino romano.Plate with green olives as an authentic Roman tavern appetiser.