Prosciutto crudo, it is the fancy Italian name for simply raw unsmoked and dried ham, that one serves in paper-thin slim slices on plate. Interesting detail: “prosciutto” simply means “ham” in Italian so the name is a bit funny, if one thought that. There are two main kinds, that are worth knowing a bit.

One eats Prosciutto crudo after drying directly without cooking. And prosciutto cotto is cooked by means of boiling and can be eaten alone or added to warm foods like pizza.

Prosciutto Crudo: How It Is Made and How to Eat It

The process starts with prime pork legs. The meat is covered with salt and stays here for weeks, while the salt does its magic, it pulls out blood and moisture, which stops bacteria from spreading. Then the long salting and slow drying, which exactly secures it for raw meal.

Home making usually lasts around 400 days for salting, drying or similar steps. If one waits more long, one receives rihcer and deeper pork taste.

Now, prosciutto di Parma really stands out. It is prepared only in Parma, Italy, from special pigs, that one feeds in eleven Italian regions. Those pigs are checked, inspected and tracked during their whole life.

The recipe stays simply nice: sea salt, air and patience. In the store, local Prosciutto costs around nine to ten dollars per pound. Imported Parma Prosciutto?

It reaches sixteen too twenty dollars per pound. The price gap does not lie… Good Prosciutto gives much more strong and rich taste than average ham.

Here is the charm of Prosciutto: there really does not exist a bad way to enjoy it. It goes well with figs, honeydew melon and ripe red tomatoes. Rolling slices around bread sticks is a classic way.

It looks great on a cheese board, rolled in little cone shapes standing directly. Prosciutto crudo does not like to cook too hard… Heat makes it crisp outside and dries it inside.

Even so it works well in saltimbocca, when it touches warm food. Crisping it like bacon works surprisingly well also.

Prosciutto turns weekly dinners amazingly simple. Some slices with bread already form a full meal. It works well in sandwiches, pizzas, soups and lasagna.

One mix, that really works, is Prosciutto with pine nuts, arugula, red tomatoes and parmesan over pasta. It crisps well as topping for salads also. One commonly finds it as the star on a loaded charcuterie board, surrounded by cheeses, pickles, nuts, fruits and crusty bread.

One thin slice has around eighteen calories. Double to two slices, and you face almost fifty calories. Prosciutto gives both protein and fat, which fills you up despite its small size.

The main worry: it is very salty and rich, so excess can cause discomfort or stomachpain. For most folks, some pieces reach the right amount.