How to Prepare Prosciutto

Prosciutto means "ham" in Italian. It comes in two forms: prosciutto cotto (cooked), or prosciutto crudo (uncooked). Outside of Italy, when one is purchasing prosciutto, it is almost always prosciutto crudo. This type of ham has been popular in Italy since the time of the Roman Empire. It is cured through a process known as air drying, which takes anywhere from 10 to 24 months to complete. The process lends prosciutto a distinct flavor that simply cannot be duplicated. If you want to create authentic Italian cuisine, there are countless ways prosciutto can be incorporated into the menu.

Things You'll Need

• Prosciutto
• Eggs
• Romano cheese
• Muffin tin
• Baguette
• Garlic cloves
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Mozzarella cheese
• Tomatoes
• Panini bread
• Arugula
• Provolone
• Red wine vinegar
• Cream sauce
• Hot cooked pasta
• Sea scallops
• Toothpicks
• Lemons
• Asparagus spears
• Melon wedges
• Cream cheese
• Chives
• Cherry tomatoes

Instructions

Breakfast with Prosciutto

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease each cup of a muffin tin.

3. Line each cup with a slice of prosciutto.

4. Crack an egg into each cup and sprinkle with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Brunch Time Bruschetta

1. Turn on your broiler and allow it to warm up while you are preparing the brushcetta.

2. Slice a baguette lengthwise and place it on a baking sheet.

3. Peel several cloves of fresh garlic and cut them in half. Rub the exposed surface of the garlic along the length of the bread.

4. Coat each bread slice with a light layer of olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place mozzarella cheese slices over the oil and top with thick slices of fresh tomato. Add another sprinkle of salt to the tomatoes and slide the pan under the broiler.

5. Broil for 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly.

6. Remove the bread from the oven and add a layer of prosciutto. Broil for another two minutes. Slice each bruschetta piece into fat wedges and serve.

Enjoy Prosciutto at Lunch

1. Slice the panini bread open and brush both the inside and the outside with olive oil.

2. Fill the sandwich with layers of sliced mozzarella, prosciutto and arugula.

3. Add a sprinkle of salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

4. Place the sandwich in a panini press, sandwich maker, or hot skillet and cook until both sides are golden brown and nicely toasted.

Prepare Prosciutto for Dinner

1. Lightly sauté the meat in olive oil.

2. Dice the cooked prosciutto and add to cream sauce.

3. Ladle the sauce over hot, cooked pasta.

4. Wrap fresh sea scallops in prosciutto slices, if you're a seafood fan.

5. Secure the prosciutto with toothpicks that have been soaked in water and place under the broiler for 5 minutes.

6. Remove the toothpicks and serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Serve Prosciutto on the Side

1. Snap off the ends and trim the bottoms of fresh spears of asparagus.

2. Wrap the asparagus in prosciutto.

3. Arrange the wrapped asparagus on a broiler pan or baking sheet and brush with olive oil.

4. Sprinkle with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.

5. Place it in the oven at 400 degrees F. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until the prosciutto and asparagus spears are crisp.

Offer Prosciutto as a Snack or as an Appetizer

1. Cut a fresh melon into thin wedges and remove the rind.

2. Wrap each wedge in a slice of prosciutto.

3. Drain the liquid off a hunk of fresh mozzarella, if melon is out of season.

4. Roll prosciutto around the cheese and secure with toothpicks.

5. Slice into bite sized portions and serve.

Tips & Warnings

• Once you've opened a package of prosciutto, you need to eat it quickly as it spoils easily once it has been exposed to open air.

Resources

• Buy Authentic Imported Italian Prosciutto