Prosciutto Cotto Spalla

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

From the historic Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy, this bright pink version of Italian ham is cooked at carefully calibrated temperatures for that perfect blush of color and tender, moist cuts of meat. It retains a faint, natural sweetness from the combined characteristics of the meat and the steaming cooking process. This particular cotto is from the shoulder part of pork.

Sometimes brined or seasoned with herbs and spices, it’s easy to tell high quality prosciutto cotto on sight. Each round slice must have a clear layer of fat around the edge, with that healthy pinkness visible in every compact, muscled section. It’s lean and satisfyingly flavorful, a revelation to those accustomed to its darker crudo cousin!

PREPARATION OR PAIRINGS

With its light flavor, prosciutto cotto is a delight in sandwiches—even to the pickiest children. Grab a crusty ciabatta for an afternoon panino and lay a few ribbony slices of this prosciutto and a basil leaf or two over a bed of fresh mozzarella—delizioso!

On a cheese and charcuterie board, prosciutto cotto pairs best with bold cheeses like Gorgonzola and fresh berries or melon slices. Try it with fresh pineapple cubes too! Your drink selection goes from white wines to beers—a crisp Pinot Grigio, a Berliner Weisse, or perhaps even a sour beer.

A PROSCIUTTO INTERVENTION

Prosciutto is, simply put, Italian ham—but that doesn’t mean that it is in any way like thick slices of American-style ham. Especially the artificially sweetened varieties. Prosciutto comes in “crudo” or “cotto” form. Both types come from a lovely pork part and fat layer left on during curing. After the curing process, what you’re left with is the beginning of prosciutto crudo, with a lovely deep red shade to the meat. Prosciutto cotto, on the other hand, it’s one more step to steamed tenderness. At Segata, they use only the best pork to yield the highest quality products possible.

Storage Instructions

Keep in your fridge especially after opening.