Prosciutto: what is it, how to cook Italian ham at home and what can you cook from it?

What meat is the product made from, a brief history

For the residents of Parma, pork has been the main source of food since ancient times , which is why Parma ham, known as prosciutto, dates back to the times of the Roman Empire.

Perhaps this story began when farmers learned to use salt to preserve meat.

There are several versions regarding the name . One of them is that the word “prosciutto” was formed from the Parma dialect “pàr-sùt” - “always dry”.

Another version is that the origin of the name is Latin, from the word Perex Suctum, which means “dried” or “merged”.

Somewhat later, the product began to gain popularity in many countries. And in order to protect its quality and traditions, Parma producers in 1963 assembled a consortium to supervise the production of ham.

And in 1996, Prosciutto di Parma was included in the list of products from the DOP category.

In Italy, as many as seven types of this ham are produced , classified as products with a protected name:

Prosciutto di Parma. The most famous variety is produced in the province of Parma. Includes only two components: pork and salt. No other spices or preservatives are allowed. The meat must be frozen; it is prepared within a year. The finished dish retains its natural red color and acquires a refined, intense and sweet taste.
Prosciutto di San Daniele. The Italians themselves say that this ham has three components: meat, sea salt and the unique climate of the area where it is produced. Its distinctive feature is the “paw” on the ham, that is, the thigh remains intact from a biological point of view. The meat is pinkish-red, with white veins, sweetish, tender, with a slightly spicy aftertaste.
Prosciutto di Modena. Ham produced in the city of Modena and given its uniqueness due to a set of geographical factors. The taste is rich, but not salty. It has a pleasant sweetish smell.
Prosciutto Toscano . In this case, the raw materials are supplied not only with salt, but also with pepper and certain herbs, for example, sage, rosemary. The taste of the dish is delicate, with a light herbal aroma.
Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo. Produced using salt and seasonings. The distinctive sign is a mark in the shape of a winged lion. The color is usually pink, the taste is sweet and mild.
Prosciutto di Carpegna. Produced in the city of Carpegna. The cut has a salmon color, the taste is very delicate and piercing.
Prosciutto crudo di Cuneo. It is produced using dry salt, which may contain pepper or other spices. The overall production process lasts for at least ten months. It has a uniform red color and a persistent sweetish aroma.

On the pages of our website you will also learn a recipe for Bolognese pasta - a famous Italian dish known all over the world!
And in this article we will tell you the secret recipe for making pasta with mussels in a creamy sauce. Treat your loved ones to an Italian-style dinner.
Want to know how to make pasta carbonara with cream and bacon? You will find recommendations from the best chefs in Italy here: https://expertitaly.ru/italyanskaya-kuhnya/pasta/karbonara-s-bekonom-i-slivkami.html.

Production Features

The history of the appearance of Parma ham is unknown exactly, but the secrets of making meat dishes were known to the Greeks and Romans even before our era. But it was Parma ham that appeared in one of the villages in the province of Parma - Langirano. At the moment, most of it is produced here, but production is distributed across other regions of central and northern Italy.

Production is strictly regulated: in the 63rd year of the last century, a consortium was formed to preserve the authenticity of the recipe and the image of the delicacy. At the moment, more than 100 manufacturers have production permits, but they are all located in the province.

Pigs of several breeds are used as raw materials (Duroc, Landrance, White Large), and they are young, but have reached ten months of age and weigh 150-160 kilograms (uncastrated boars and sows are not suitable). They are fed chestnuts and whey, and are carefully selected so that the meat tastes the way it should.

How is it different from jamon?

Another well-known type of ham is jamon , and not everyone understands what the difference is between it and prosciutto: let's try to understand all the differences.

The main difference between jamon and prosciutto is the place of origin . The homeland of Prosciutto is Italy, and jamona is Spain.

There is also some difference regarding taste characteristics, which again depends on climatic conditions.

Ham has a dark color because mainly black pig breeds are used for its production.

In Italy, pigs are fed somewhat differently - mainly with fruits, corn, and sometimes whey.

There are also some differences in production technology . Jamon is hard and dry because it is salted in closed containers. There is no preliminary heat treatment.

The Italian dish is salted under natural conditions, which require constant maintenance of moisture at a certain level. Therefore, the product is juicier and more tender.

Ingredients and how to cook

ingredients for 30 servings or - the number of products for the servings you need will be calculated automatically!'>

tea spoon	5 ml
dessert spoon	10 ml
tablespoon	20 ml
cup	200 ml

Traditions of use

In Italy, according to the traditional recipe, it is customary to serve prosciutto with fried pork, vegetables or melon. It is an indispensable ingredient in classic tortellini . Pairs well with white wines.

To a large extent, the traditions of eating prosciutto are determined by the taste preferences of a particular region. However, you need to know that you should cut the ham only immediately before eating it - in this form it is not suitable for long-term storage. Even after an hour, the slice will lose most of its properties and become very dry.

If you still need to cut the dish in advance, then you should deviate slightly from the classic variation and make the slices thicker.

PANCETTA

Pork belly is used to make pancetta.

The fattest pieces are used for speck or twisted to make salsich, and pieces with meat are used for pancetta.

First, the meat is salted, sometimes with spices, sometimes without. Different regions do it differently.

Then the meat is rolled into a sausage loaf, covered with pork skin on top and tied. Or they stuff a natural gut, but without the skin on top.

These “loaves” are placed between two devices for compression and shaping.

The pancetta loaves are then hung. The ripening period varies from 60 to 120 days depending on the size and weight of the product. Pancetta is also made smoked. This smoke adds a special aroma to dishes.

When smoking, the production time of pancetta is significantly shortened.

Pancetta is used in the preparation of pasta, meat, vegetables, and as a basis for frying onions or vegetables.

This is quite a salty ham.

You can also fry very thinly sliced pancetta in a hot frying pan without oil using your own fat. put on bread and eat. Delicious.

PANCETTA

How to make at home: recipe

Italians have a lot of traditions and rules when it comes to preparing the dish. So, it is very important to maintain a certain humidity and temperature.

As for the aging time, the classic recipe suggests that it should be at least 10 months , and better - 12-14 months.

Drying takes place in an open space . The hip is hung on racks designed for this purpose.

Natural additives - salt, spices, herbs - are used to add spiciness and piquancy to the dish. It is not frozen , as this risks losing its unique taste and aromatic characteristics.

In the classic version, the salting process, and after drying the meat, will be very long . At home, not everyone can wait for a year for the delicacy to be ready, so those who want to treat themselves to a piece of Italy at home can pay attention to a slightly modified recipe.

All you need is tender pork and sea salt. The cooking instructions assume the following sequence:

First, the meat is washed and dried with a towel , then it is thickly rubbed with salt over the entire area and left in this form for a day. It needs to be turned over sometimes and the liquid drained.
Afterwards, the pork needs to be rinsed again to remove salt and remove excess liquid from it using a towel.
Let the product dry slightly at room temperature. At the same time, the refrigerator where the meat will be cooked must be thoroughly washed, ventilated and the temperature set to 5-6 degrees.
Pork is hung in the refrigerator on natural threads , strands or strips of leather. It should be left in this form for at least two weeks.
The finished ham is cut very thin and served separately or added to various dishes.

You can also roll the meat not only in salt, but also in pepper, herbs and their mixtures.

Do you know how to prepare classic mushroom risotto? We will reveal the secrets of Italian housewives on our website!
Do you want to know the recipe for real Italian pizza in the oven? Read the details of how to prepare this dish in our next review.
In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the recipe for vegetarian lasagna, which is prepared in the best Italian traditions.

Prosciutto is a popular gastronomic souvenir

Tourists love to bring prosciutto back from their trips to treat their family and friends with a real Italian delicacy. True, in this case, a logical question arises about how to preserve the product and prevent it from losing its unique taste.

Methods for storing meat differ depending on its type: with or without bone. The whole ham can be kept in a dry, cool place, out of direct sunlight. If these conditions are met, the shelf life is up to 12 months, and throughout this time the slow drying process will continue. After the first slices are cut, the pork leg should be placed in the refrigerator, maintaining a temperature of no higher than +10 °C.

Boneless ham is sold in vacuum packaging. In intact film, meat can be stored in the refrigerator for up to six months. It is not recommended to freeze it, as the original taste will then be hopelessly lost. Prosciutto is a 100% natural product. No preservatives are used in its production, so after removing the packaging it should be stored in the refrigerator and consumed within 7-8 weeks. The cut must be covered with cloth, cling film or foil.

It is recommended to eat sliced prosciutto within a few hours after opening the package.

Use in Italian cooking

Prosciutto is an independent dish in itself . It can be used as an appetizer, served with green peas, asparagus, melon, and is included in various sauces, Italian pasta, and sandwiches.

Here, for example, is a simple recipe for a summer snack with prosciutto and melon, common in Italy:

Housewives from all countries actively use this type of ham to prepare all kinds of dishes. Let's look at some of them , which you can easily repeat at home.

Scrambled eggs with pesto

To prepare you will need the following ingredients:

20 g butter;
2 eggs;
100 ml 20% cream;
30 g prosciutto;
teaspoon pesto;
a pinch of salt.

Preparation:

Heat the butter in a frying pan over low heat.
Break the eggs into a bowl, beat them a little with a whisk, add cream and salt. Mix again and pour into the oil in the frying pan. Using a spatula, pull the edges of the scrambled egg towards the middle, then vigorously stir it. After 40 seconds, remove from heat and add pesto.
Thinly slice the tomato and place it on a plate. Place a scrambled egg on top and slices of ham on top. Season with pepper.

Unusual salad with pear

Baked asparagus

For this interesting recipe you need to prepare the following:

20 pieces of fresh asparagus pods;
4 slices of Italian ham;
4 teaspoons olive oil;
60 g parmesan cheese;
4 chicken eggs;
a tablespoon of thyme;
ground black pepper - to taste.

Preparation:

Place the pan over medium heat and heat a couple of teaspoons of oil in it. Add prosciutto and fry for a minute. Remove from heat and place on paper towels.
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees, grease a baking sheet with oil. Toss the asparagus in the remaining oil and place it on a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 minutes until soft.
Cut the cheese into thin slices, place it on top of the asparagus, and leave in the oven for another five minutes to melt. Divide among four plates and cover.
Pour water to a level of 5 cm into the pan and place on fire. Add a teaspoon of salt, let it boil, then reduce the heat. Break the eggs into the water one at a time. Cook in slightly boiling water for 3-4 minutes until the yolk is ready. Remove the eggs and carefully place one at a time on top of the asparagus.
Place prosciutto on plates, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

How to cook pasta

For good health!

We won't find any unwanted ingredients in Parma ham! It is in vain to look for artificial preservatives, enhancers and dyes in it. Precisely described rules prohibit smoking and freezing. Are you looking for a safe product? The sign of the crown clearly indicates that there is only one queen!

Contrary to popular belief, the amount of salt in Parma ham is not at all dominant. Compared to traditional sausages, it is distinguished by a lower amount of sodium. Fat is not a problem either! One slice is about 30 calories. Parma ham is easy to digest and rich in protein. Italian cuisine once again makes it clear that the secret to great food is the highest quality ingredients. The centuries-old production tradition is still relevant! Naturalness and elegance never go out of style.

Post Views: 1,621