Parma ham, or as it is also called “prosciutto di Parma”, Italian.) Is a dry-cured ham that is produced in the Italian province of Parma, located a little northwest of Bologna. This is one of the most exquisite delicacies of Italian cuisine. This type of ham is distinguished by its pink color, soft spicy taste, thin layers of fat and a fragile structure. This ham was first produced in the village of Langirano (Langhirano, Italian) near the Parma River.
Parma ham is marked with a special stamp that depicts the coat of arms of the Duchy of Parma - the five-pointed crown, and is made from pork of certain breeds. Moreover, animals should be raised only in Northern or Central Italy, their age must be at least nine months, and weight - at least 150 kilograms.
Prosciutto is usually served for lunch or as an appetizer, while it is cut into thin, translucent slices. Parma ham is sold both already packaged and by weight, in pressed form and or on bone, and is not a cheap food. Prosciutto refers to Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) brand products - Origin Control and that is why all stages of its production and the raw materials used are carefully monitored.
To prepare such a ham, you will need only four components: meat (pork), salt, time and air. And nothing more! No artificial additives or preservatives are used in the production of Parma ham. The production process itself looks like this: pork ham is rubbed with salt and placed in a special dryer. For 10-14 months, the ham is dried in a cold and moderately dry flat wind, which is "saturated" with the aroma of meadow herbs, and several times rubbed with salt and smeared with melted pork fat (to form a tasty and fragrant crust). Such a unique natural ingredient, like the wind, is simply impossible to repeat, so Parma ham is still produced in only one province. At the end of the drying process, a mandatory examination of the quality of the resulting ham is carried out, after which the brand with the crown is placed in the ham. The absence of preservatives and a long drying period make this product easily digestible.
The minimum amount of fat in Parma ham makes it very similar to beef. Prosciutto has a density that allows it to be cut into very thin slices - the thickness of a paper sheet. This type of ham is widely used in many dishes, it is baked with a slave, fried with veal, put in salads, pasta and sauces, rolls are cooked with it, it is wrapped with seafood and fish, it is included in the recipes of many national cuisines.
A true classic of Italian cuisine is thinly sliced Parma ham with melon and figs, this dish goes well with dry red wine. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients: 100 grams of Parma ham, 200 grams of fresh melon.
Wash, dry, cut the melon in half, peel the seeds, cut into slices and put in a circle on a plate. Cut the ham into thin “sails”, put on a plate and decorate with greens.
Parma ham: roll recipe
Ingredients: pesto sauce made from sun-dried tomatoes and basil, Parma ham, arugula.
Smear a piece of ham with pesto, put a sprig of arugula and roll it up. Serve with cherry tomatoes. If you do not like pork, Parma ham can be replaced with beef ham, but with Parma ham it is much tastier.
Recipe salad dressing with parma ham
Ingredients: cherry tomatoes, salad mix, Parma ham, mozzarella cheese, salt, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pepper.
Mix tomatoes, lettuce leaves, pepper, salt, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with olive oil. Collapse the leaves of Parma ham and place them on top together with mozzarella balls.