The name comes from the mild character of the pig, who has absolutely no trouble seeing humans.
When I went to the stables I always exclaimed: After 50 years of activity and having had the opportunity to taste many Tuscan salami, it was decided to focus on the Sienese Cinta: However, one day we tasted the Mangalica breed and literally fell in love with the quality of the product, until we created a relationship of trust with the company Solobrado. Our philosophy leads us, once we have found a good raw material, to improve it continuously: taking care of the details and studying the details, we get to make the good things even better.
After a chat with our breeder and salumier Fabrizio Nocci, we decided to create a unique product. So we identified our pigs, which have their own space, and follow a calibrated feeding that enhances their characteristics. The result is a superior selection of a product that was already an excellence in itself.
This is how Boncitto, our superlative pig, was born.
The Mangalica pig is an autochthonous breed widespread in Serbia, Hungary and Romania and its curly bristles have earned it the name of 'woolly pig' or "sheep pig". It has different colors ranging from yellowish-white to black and red, up to a two-tone variety.
Given its qualities, both as a farm animal and as a meat animal, the Mangalica has long been a widespread breed. The market demand for more profitable breeds and the intensification of breeding has marked its decline.
However, recent research has shown that its meat and fat contain a significantly higher amount of HDL cholesterol (the so-called 'good cholesterol') The consumption of which is recommended for those with high cholesterol. Mangalica pig is one of the most fatty in the world: generally, 65-70% of the carcase is made up of fat. Lean meat represents only 30-35% compared to more than 50% in modern breeds, However, the quality of the meat, its taste and texture are unmatched.
The smoothness and excellent taste are due to the layers of interstitial fat, absent in most commercial breeds and present instead in correct quantity in the Mangalica. Today we have some small companies that have revalued the product, bred in the wild state, thanks to characteristics that this breed has in its DNA, such as adaptability to extreme housing conditions, resistance to stress and diseases, mild and maternal character.
In addition to the climate of the area, competence and selection on the breed, one of the main features of the farm is the great availability of water thanks to an underground spring. We have the possibility to create pools of water and mud, where pigs can find their oasis of relaxation. Pigs live in a family and are all purebred, one male for every 9 females, so they have 9 blood groups.
Their diet consists largely of crushed fava beans, flax seeds and bran, to which the special Sacha Inchi hazelnut is added. Starting from 30/40 g of hazelnuts per day, until reaching 150 g the last days, implementing a kind of finishing. The slaughter takes place at 13/15 months of age, with dead weight of about one quintale.
After more than two years of tasting, testing and trials, we have defined, together with norcino Fabrizio, all the specifications that must have our cold cuts. Grinding, fat and seasoning, everything is made ad hoc.
The ham is salted and, after 60 days of rest, placed for 2 weeks in a cell at 24 C° with 55% humidity. Then, it is passed to the aging phase, where for about 3 years the ham is stored at 14 C° with an average humidity of 70%.
For cold cuts, instead, we start at 22 C° and 65% humidity, then lower the temperature and raise the humidity, for a maturation that goes from 3 to 4 months.
My wife and i are glad we managed to find a table and gave dinner at this magnificent meat restaurant. The variety of steaks and meat types is impressive. We had a black Angus T-bone Steak with oven backed potatoes chunks and porcini mushrooms cooked to perfection...
5 star restaurant, 5 star cuisine, 5 star service. This is THE restaurant we just simply in love with. And we can’t say that too often. Fantastic menu selection, everything is cooked to perfection, offering an amazing variety of wines...
We had an AMAZING time at this lovely place. Every course was absolutely divine, the chateaubriand could be cut with a butter knife. The most amazing staff, friendly yet very attentive and professional...
Excellent restaurant amazing stuff very friendly good advice on all the choices. Do not miss it. We become really addicted to it. The meat it’s fantastic...
