Prosciutto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Prosciutto (IPA: [proʃ ':utːo]) is the Italian word for ham, used in English to refer to dry-cured ham (prosciutto crudo).
In American English usage, the term is used more narrowly for a dry-cured ham from central and northern Italy, the two most common kinds being Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele.
British English, on the other hand, uses the term Parma ham for this kind of ham, even if it is produced elsewhere outside the Parma ham Protected Designation of Origin area.
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[edit] Terminology
The word prosciutto derives from the Latin perexsuctum which means “thoroughly dried" (lit., "(having been) very sucked out").
Strictly speaking, prosciutto means "ham" in Italian; it generically refers to the pork cut, and not to its specific preparation. Italian speakers therefore make a distinction between prosciutto crudo (literally, "raw ham"), the cured ham which English speakers refer to as simply "prosciutto", and prosciutto cotto ("cooked ham"), which is similar to what English speakers would call "ham".
[edit] Manufacture
The process of making prosciutto can take anywhere from nine to eighteen months, depending on the size of the ham. First the ham is cleaned, salted, and left for about two months. Next it is washed several times to remove the salt. It is then hung in a shady, airy place. The air is important to the final quality of the ham. The ham is left until dry. This takes a variable amount of time, depending on the local climate and size of the ham. When the ham is completely dry, it is hung in an airy place at room temperature for up to eighteen months.
Prosciutto is never cured with nitrates (either sodium or potassium), which are generally used in other hams to produce the desired rosy color and unique flavour. Only sea salt is used. Prosciutto's characteristic pigmentation seems to be produced by certain bacteria, rather than a direct chemical reaction.
Traditional Prosciutto is cured for 2 years. In Bill Buford's book Heat he describes talking to an old Italian butcher who says "When I was young, there was one kind of prosciutto. It was made in the winter, by hand, and aged for two years. It was sweet when you smelled it. A profound perfume. Unmistakable. To age a prosciutto is a subtle business. If it's too warm, the aging process never begins. The meat spoils. If it's too dry, the meat is ruined. It needs to be damp but cool. The summer is too hot. In the winter—that's when you make salumi. Your prosciutto. Your soppressata. Your sausages."
[edit] Use
Sliced prosciutto crudo in Italian cuisine is often served as an antipasto, wrapped around grissini or, especially in summer, cantaloupe or honeydew. It is eaten as accompaniment to cooked spring vegetables, such as asparagus or peas. It may be included in a simple pasta sauce made with cream, or a Tuscan dish of tagliatelle and vegetables. It is also used in stuffings for other meats, such as veal. Prosciutto may further be used in a filled bread or as a pizza topping.
Prosciutto is often served in sandwiches, sometimes in a variation on the Caprese Salad, with basil, tomato, and fresh mozzarella. A basic sandwich served in some European cafes and bars consists of prosciutto in a croissant.
[edit] Protected designation of origin
Under the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, certain well-established meat products including some local prosciutto, are covered by a Protected Designation of Origin and other, less stringent designations of geographical origin for traditional specialties.
A complete list of agricultural products with an EU Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), or Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG), listed alphabetically by nation, is at the Europa Agriculture site.
There are two famous types of Italian prosciutto crudo exported abroad: prosciutto di Parma, from Parma, and prosciutto di San Daniele, from the San Daniele del Friuli area, in the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. The prosciutto di Parma has a slightly nutty flavor consistent with the Parmigiano Reggiano whey that is required to be in the pigs' diet. The prosciutto di San Daniele, on the other hand, is darker in color and sweeter in flavour.
The other EU protected designations for prosciutto, each slightly different in color, flavour and texture, are:
- Prosciutto di Modena, Italy (PDO)
- Prosciutto Veneto Berico-Euganeo, Italy (PDO)
- Prosciutto di Carpegna, near Montefeltro, Italy (PDO)
- Prosciutto di Norcia, Italy (PGI)
- Prosciutto Toscano, Italy (PDO)
Prosciutto-type products with protected designations of non-Italian origin include:
- Karst Prosciutto (Kraški pršut), Slovenia [1] (Slovenian)
- Njeguška Prosciutto (Njeguška pršuta), Montenegro[citation needed]
[edit] Prosciutto in other countries
Prosciutto is also produced in Slovenia (Kras), Croatia (Dalmatia and elsewhere), and Montenegro, where it is known as pršut.
Similar types of air-dried hams are:
- Presunto in Portugal (identical to Spanish Jamón serrano)
- Jamón serrano and Jamón ibérico, both made in Spain
- Elenski but, made in the town of Elena in Bulgaria
Cold cuts similar to prosciutto are also produced in USA, Canada and Belgium.
[edit] References
- McGee, Harold. On Food and Cooking (revised). New York, NY: Scribner, 2004. ISBN 0-684-80001-2
- Youth Farm, an EU-sponsored website with information on quality certification and designation of origin (Slovenian)
