His majesty the “Spiedo” a speciality of piedmontese cuisine, is officially part of the traditional agri-food products, and is included in the special list drawn up by the Ministry of Food Policy. So-called ‘traditional products’ are those agri-food products whose processing methods have been consolidated over time and are homogenous throughout the territory concerned, according to traditional rules. They are among the typical products and are the subject of special attention from local, regional, national and EU governments. The meat spit joins products such as soppressa trevigiana, potatoes from the Quartier del Piave and marroni di Combai in the breadbasket of Veneto tradition.
The Accademia dello Spiedo d’Altamarca (Academy of the Spiedo of Altamarca), whose president is the gastronome Danilo Gasparini of Slow Food, was set up precisely to promote the Altamarca spit and deepen its historical link with the territory.
SPECIFICATION OF THE SPIEDO OF ALTAMARCA
Meat from the Veneto region:
- Chicken.
- Pork: Ribs, ossocollo (or coppa), fondello (stracùl).
- Farmyard animals: guinea fowl, rabbit, capon.
- Poultry: quail, birds as per tradition.
- Kid goat, lamb.
Meat preparation:
- Cutting the meat into pieces.
- Recommended size: about 120 grams.
Lard (lardèe)
- Both salted and uncut lard is used.
Cooking time
- Generally 5 to 6 hours (the first few hours on a moderate heat) and in any case as long as it takes for each variety of meat to reach its typical cooking colour.
Wood:
- Non-resinous wood, e.g. hornbeam and beech, dry, typical of our hilly and pre-alpine forests.
Aromas:
- Native sage leaves, small-leaved, without stalks; rosemary can also be used.
Salting and additions:
- Fine cooking salt, from mid-cooking onwards.
- Permitted additions: pepper, extra virgin olive oil or seed oil, wine.
- The use of gluttony sauce is not recommended.
Precòt: consisting of lard wrapped and lit in straw paper with which the meat is given a ‘kick’ of fire as it turns on the spit
- Optional technique.
Table service:
- Meat must be served piping hot and crispy.
- Side dishes (cooked herbs, beans, field radicchio, potatoes) should be served separately.
- Polenta, preferably of white flour, should not be missing.
- Wine: Traditionally, prosecco from our hills is used, but a good red wine will also do.
