Prosciutto

Prosciutto is Italian ham made from a whole pork leg, salted and air-dried; it is usually served thinly sliced. Prosciutto crudo is uncooked and cured, while prosciutto cotto is cooked ham.

Take it out of the fridge about 15 minutes before serving so its aroma and texture can open up. Serve the slices loosely folded rather than stacked.

Pair it with ripe melon, figs or pears, or serve it with bread, olives and cheese. It is also wrapped around grissini, asparagus or slices of peach.

Add prosciutto near the end of cooking: prolonged heat can make its thin slices tough and very salty. For a crisp garnish, fry slices in a dry pan over medium heat for about 1–2 minutes per side.

Keep sliced prosciutto covered in the fridge and use it within a few days of opening. Wrap an unsliced piece in greaseproof paper, refrigerate it, and cut only what you need.

Yes. Freeze slices in small, separated portions in an airtight bag, then thaw them overnight in the fridge; the texture may be less silky, so thawed prosciutto works best in cooked dishes.

For a cooked dish, thinly sliced bacon can replace prosciutto, but it is usually smokier and needs cooking first. For a cold platter, choose another thinly sliced cured ham for a closer texture and flavour.

A 30 g serving provides 9.2 g of protein. It is a concentrated source of protein, but the same portion also contains 5.6 g of fat.