'O pere e 'o musso
'O pere e 'o musso (pronounced [o ˈpɛːr(ə) e o ˈmussə]; Neapolitan for 'the foot and the muzzle') is a typical Neapolitan dish. Its name refers to its main ingredients: pig's feet and cow snouts. The dish derives from popular tradition and a need to make use of less noble cuts of meat, and is usually sold as street food from carts, in the cities of Campania.[1] It is also consumed in the region of Molise and in the province of Foggia, where the dish is regarded as a "party" food.
 'O pere e 'o musso on sale on a truck in the streets of Naples | |
| Course | Meat, organ meat |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Naples, Campania |
| Serving temperature | Cool, room temperature or warm |
| Main ingredients | Pig feet, cow snout, lemon juice |
| Variations | Other organ meat |
Preparation
Traditional recipe
This Neapolitan culinary specialty is prepared by boiling pigs' feet with calves' snouts. The ingredients are depilated, boiled, cooled, cut into small pieces and served cold, seasoned with salt and lemon juice.
Additions
Besides those already mentioned, the following ingredients are often added:[1]
- Calf foot
- Goat foot
- The four stomachs of the calf (including tripe)
- Cow udders
- Calf uterus
- Calf rectum
The condiment of 'o pere e 'o musso may also include, depending on personal preferences, fennel, lupins, olives or chilli.[1]
Street food tradition
'O pere e 'o musso can be found in traditional shops and butcheries; however, it is most popularly sold by street vendors using stalls, carts or motorized vehicles such as apecars.[1]
In the past, the salting of the meat by the street vendors was carried out by using a characteristic instrument, a dispenser consisting of an animal horn with a hole at the end. This tool is still in use by some vendors.
Related pages
References
- "'O per e 'o muss, nato per non sprecare nulla" (in Italian). Archived from the original on 6 September 2017.
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