Ham

Ham is prosciutto and although Italy does produce cooked ham, called prosciutto cotto, raw ham is so famous that the word by itself means raw ham. Prosciutto is cured by salting and then air-dried. For eating immediately it is carved into the thinnest possible slices, though for cooking it may be cubed.

Parma ham – possibly the world’s most famous ham – is the best-known prosciutto crudo and is slightly sweet. San Daniele ham is less sweet and also leaner. The curing process is a long one, the meat of the best quality, and so it is always expensive, particularly from the bone.