Although he has never been to our hometown in Italy, Tolve, my cousin Dan Becce, Aunt Bea and Uncle Rocco’s youngest son is more Tolvese than anyone else in our family. The way he talks to everyone he meets along his day, his gestures, the way he can fix almost anything with a piece of wire and his hands (so can his brothers), the way he raises fig trees in large barrels, makes wine and capicollo. The Christmas my mother was dying, was a desolate one. Lucia and her family had been there for a week. So Bill, James and I took over the vigil on Dec. 23rd. We sat by my mother’s bed. Went to the cafeteria to eat, walked the halls, waited in waiting room. Even the hospital staff was thin. On Christmas Eve my Dan and his wife Kathleen came to the hospital room with a platter of homemade capicollo and bread, “You shouldn’t be all alone on Christmas Eve.” That was the best capicollo I’ve ever had. That’s my cousin Dan and his sweet wife Kathleen. Yes it was the love but also Dan makes an incredible cappicollo.Below, Dan tells us his recipe for making capicollo.
I use boneless pork loin that is used for roasting or cutting into boneless chops.It’s available in most supermarkets it’s vacuum packed, a whole one is about 24″ long. I cut it into thirds and usually trim fat from the sides so it’s leaner, but that is a matter of taste because as we all know “PORK FAT RULES”.Pack them in salt for 24 hrs. Preferably non-iodized. I use kosher salt. Make sure juice can drain as salt draws it from meat. Remove from salt and rinse with a little bit of white wine in a round bottom bowl and discard wine.Soak over night in white wine. I use the cheapest I can find, sweet is better. Keep it cold. Remove from wine and roll in pepper, black or crushed red which ever you like. For black pepper coat it while it’s still wet from the wine. For red pat it dry and wet generously with hot sauce and coat with pepper.Wrap it in cheese cloth 3 or 4 layers, or muslin with a single layer (over lapping is OK to be sure it’s completely covered. Twist the ends like a tootsie roll and tie them tight with string leaving it long enough to hang it up.If drying in fridge don’t put it on a shelf that is solid use one that is the rack type so there is air flow on all sides. Keep in cold 35-45 degrees and very well ventilated. 2 or 3 can be dried in a frost free fridge if it’s not too full. I use my attic in the winter and keep it from freezing. It takes 6 to 8 weeks depending on humidity and venting.
