I May Have a Prosciutto Problem

The best gift I ever received was a whole, bone-in unsmoked country ham. I did not soak it and cook it, as is traditional with country hams. Instead, I bought a ham stand and a long, sharp knife, and cut off little slices just like you would with prosciutto. Don’t let anyone tell you that this is not allowed; country ham may not have the nuanced notes of acorns or whatever they feed the fancier pigs in Europe, but it tastes of superbly cured, salty pork, and that is good enough for me. (I may have a bit of a prosciutto problem. The very first fight my ex-husband and I ever had was over the stuff—he called it “overpriced ham”—you can hear me tell the tale on Milk Street Radio.)

My gift ham is (sadly) gone, but I’ve been supporting my dry-cured habit with Costco-sourced prosciutto (because I am fiscally responsible). Besides eating it with a pile of sliced peaches and crumbled goat cheese, I most recently used the ham to make a classic Chicken Saltimbocca. We modeled our recipe on the technique shown to us by chef Elio Mariani at Checchino dal 1887 in Rome, as well as by Mimmo Galal, a chef at Trattoria Antico Falcone. Simply lay the prosciutto slices on the cutlets; the tackiness of the meat keeps everything together—even when flipping—eliminating the need for the typical toothpick fasteners. We also dust the chicken with flour prior to cooking to boost the browning and help give the wine-based pan sauce a little body. (And the bits of crispy sage are divine.)

But my favorite prosciutto presentations are usually on the uncooked side. I eat unadorned slices, straight from the package more often than I care to admit, but this weekend I plan to grab a carton of local figs and make our Honey-Roasted Fig and Prosciutto Bruschetta, which Chris Kimball has called “the bruschetta of his dreams.”

And while asparagus isn’t in season, I still find myself craving our Fettuccine with Asparagus, Lemon and Prosciutto on a regular basis, and have taken to swapping in other green vegetables, like matchsticks of sautéed zucchini, or even frozen peas. Sweet peas and salty prosciutto are a natural match, actually. I can’t wait to taste them together in our just-published Spaghetti with Prosciutto, Parmesan and Peas—aka pasta alla papalina, a lighter, brighter riff on classic carbonara. (The dish has been popular since the 1920s, when, as the story goes, Cardinal Pacelli, who later became Pope Pius XII, asked chef Cesertto Simmi to create a more elegant take on the Italian staple.)

Speaking of vegetables and their seasons, the artichokes should be coming in pretty soon. That means it’s time for Stuffed Artichokes with Prosciutto and Garlic. We steam-roast halved artichokes until almost tender and stuff them with a mixture of crusty bread, prosciutto and fontina cheese. Then back into the oven they go until the craggy surface of the filling is crisp and golden brown. Whip up a roasted-garlic sauce for dipping and supper is sorted.

I’ll leave you with a prosciutto tip: Always let it come to room temperature before eating. You’ll be able to taste it so much better, and cold fat just doesn’t feel right on the tongue. Once the chill is off, stuff it into a homemade Piadina with arugula and ricotta. The flatbreads are made with yogurt and lard, rendering them soft and supple and ready to receive the salty cured meat (and, incidentally, they’re ready in just half an hour).

Craving more? Sign up for our newsletter to receive weekly cooking tips and recipes, delivered straight to your inbox.

Join the conversation on Facebook,Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest.

And if you're looking for more Milk Street, check out our livestream cooking classes with our favorite chefs, home cooks and friends for global recipes, cooking methods and more.

Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.