bacon or pancetta

An Italian salumi made from pork belly meat that is salt-cured, heavily seasoned with black pepper, and often rolled into a tight cylinder (*arrotolata*), but importantly, it is not smoked. It provides a rich, porky saltiness to dishes without the overwhelming wood-smoke flavor of bacon. **Selection & Storage:** Buy whole pieces if using for cooking (to dice into lardons) or thinly sliced for wrapping. Store tightly sealed in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.