PROSCIUTTIFICIO Ciarcià
Have you ever wondered how does the ham?
We have witnessed his work, and there tell the salient phases.
In the great nursery of salami from Campania a place of honor at Ham Irpinia, prized specialties produced in some districts in the province of Avellino.
As the ham is great interpreter Ciarcia, centennial reality in that of Venticano.
We went to visit him along with a handful of food lovers friends (tra le quali Giovanna and Roberta), Guests of the owner Nicola Ciarcia who has been a guide for the entire journey.
The factory has been operating since 2002, but the Ciarcia family business has far more ancient origins.
The company is dedicated to the father of Nicholas, Vittorio Ciarcia, and the date used as a reference to the start of the year is the 1930, ie the year of birth of Victor; but it is, appunto, an agreement in the absence of a certain date. For sure, already the Nicola ancestors were responsible for the production of ham and salami of Irpinia. Vittorio Ciarcia was the first to make the entrepreneurial activities, constructing the first cooling cells, and allowing the working throughout the year and not just during the winter as it was previously, when the stone cellars were employed.
The work is the Ciarcia seasoning, especially of heavy Italian pig thighs. It is the continuation of an ancient tradition, respecting the principles handed down for generations (quality of raw material, Italian sea salt as the sole preservative, long natural air-seasoning), simply performed with latest technology.
The seasoning essentially consists in draining the water from the inside of the hams, to allow the conservation.
The first phase, manual, è la Slgione, entrusted to the expertise of a Salatore teacher who dispenses the right amount of sea salt without weighing it (as is the case for other meats).
Then there is the review or risalagione, which takes place one week after the previous phase. The thighs are cleaned from residual salt and again subjected to salting.
At this point the thighs pass into resting cells at controlled temperature and humidity, where they lose the initial weight dehydrating. This is called a cold stage because it works at very low temperatures.
After about 90 days from the first entry in the company, It is passed to the wash and all 'drying hams. A process that, when there was no current technology, He was done manually, with running water, in the period March.
From this moment on you you start working with higher temperatures, tra i 15 e i 18 gradi.
Between 3 e i 7 months of maturing hams pass in environment pre-seasoning, where it works with natural ventilation through windows.
At this point there is the phase of sugnatura.
The hams are manually sprinkled with a paste made of lard, rice flour and pepper, need to soften the lean part and ensure that drying is realized gradually.
After the seventh month then there is the last phase, that of seasoning, in a special environment.
Ciarcia only sells products with a minimum aging of 12 mesi.
Il Ham Irpinia, listed as Foodstuffs (PAT) the Campania Region, instead it provides a minimum aging of 18 mesi.
The plant matures between Venticanese 1200 e le 1300 thighs week.
The business line also includes Ham Ciarcia of ancient breed pig casertana, Irpinia Drop (one of the jewels of the house flowers) and other meats (pancetta, coppa, lonza, salami and sausages).
Dal 2008 It is active a stocked showroom offering the entire range business, among many other culinary excellence, in prevalence Irpinian.
The Ciarcia products can also be found in small and medium distribution, for example in gastronomy and wine shops more provided, but not in the GDO, precise choice.
The complete list of outlets is on the site: nothing easier, therefore, for those who want to sample these delights Irpinia.
Prosciuttificio Vittorio Ciarcia
Contrada Ilici, PIP Zone - Venticano, Avellino
such. 0825/965309
www.vittoriociarcia.com