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Pestèda di Grosio: Valtellina's Pork Fat and Herb Paste

Pestèda di Grosio is a Valtellina paste of chopped pork back fat, garlic, vegetables, and herbs. Rest it for 4 hours, then melt a spoonful in the pan to start polenta, beans, or braises.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: condiment
Cuisine: Italian (Northern Italy)
Calories: 38
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 150 g fresh pork back fat, unsmoked chilled, rind removed
  • 4 cloves garlic (20 g); peeled
  • 1 carrot small (60 g); peeled
  • 1 stalk celery (50 g); trimmed
  • 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
  • 8 leaves fresh sage leaves
  • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves from about 2 sprigs
  • 12 g fine sea salt (2 tsp)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
  • 1 pinch nutmeg freshly grated

Method
 

  1. Take the pork fat straight from the fridge, remove any rind, and cut it into 1 cm / 1/2-inch strips, then cubes. Peel the garlic and carrot, and cut the carrot and celery into 5 mm / 1/4-inch dice. Strip the rosemary and sage leaves, pick the parsley, and pat all the herbs dry.
  2. On a 40 x 30 cm / 16 x 12-inch cutting board, chop the fat, garlic, carrot, and celery together with a 20 cm / 8-inch chef's knife for 6 to 8 minutes, regathering the pile as you go, until the pieces are the size of short-grain rice. Add the parsley, sage, and rosemary and chop for 2 minutes more.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a mortar at least 15 cm / 6-inch wide, working in two batches. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then pound and press for about 5 minutes until it holds together as a coarse paste with visible grains.
  4. Pack the paste into a 350 ml / 12-oz glass jar, pressing it down with the back of a spoon to remove air pockets. Seal and refrigerate for 4 hours so the salt draws the garlic and herb flavor into the fat.

Notes

  • Use the pork fat straight from the fridge, never at room temperature.
  • Rest the packed jar for 4 hours before the first use.
  • Never leave the jar out on the counter after cooking.
  • Taste the finished dish before adding any other salt.