Prosciutto Cotto or Crudo? Guidelines from an Expert - La ...

Cotto or crudo, prosciutto has found its place in the United States – served as appetizers or with an aperitivo-style menu, served among a ... ItalianfoodAllMenuItaliandishesHowtocookhacksTriptoItalyAllNorthernItalyCentralItalySouthernItalyTrendsAllBlend&TasteRestaurant&ChefshealthyfoodNewsEventsGoodMoodRecipesAllPastaPizzaRisottoAppetizersMaincourseSides&vegetablesCakes&dessertsVideoGlossarySchoolNewslettersubscriptionLaCucinaItalianaedition:ItalyUSA“Whatareyoulookingfor?”MenuProsciuttoproducerandexpertCesareCasellasharesallthesecretstoeveryone’sfavoriteItaliancharcuterie–plustipsonhowtoenjoyitbest. Moreandmore,AmericansaregettingtoknowauthenticItalianprosciutto,gaininganunderstandingofitsdifferencesfromregularAmericanham.Cottoorcrudo,prosciuttohasfounditsplaceintheUnitedStates–servedasappetizersorwithanaperitivo-stylemenu,servedamongavarietyofsaltyandsweetdishes,suchasprosciuttocrudoasapizzatoppingortoaccompanyasideofseasonalfreshfruit.TolearnmoreaboutthisItaliandelicacy,wespokewithaprosciuttoexpert:Italianrestaurateur,author,andeducatorCesareCasella.ADeanofItalianStudiesattheInternationalCulinaryCenter,heisalsothefounderofCasella’sSalumiinUpstateNewYork,whereheusesItaliantechniquestocreatecured-on-the-boneprosciutti,whichhedistributesinrestaurantsandtospecialtygrocers,bothnationallyandonline.CesareCasellaSothatwecouldgetallthesecretstoqualityprosciutto(fromcrudotocotto),weaskedChefCasellaafewquestionsonthesubject.Here’swhathesharedwithLaCucinaItaliana–plusafewtipsonservingitandpairingit:ChefCasella,whydidyoudecidetoswitchfrombeingarestaurateurandcheftoaproducerofprosciuttoandsalamiintheUSA?Salumiisinmyroots,anditwaspartofourannualtraditiongrowingup.Everyyear,mygrandfatherwouldgetapig,thatwewouldname“Mimmo”–andinthewinter,Mimmowouldbecomesalumi.EvenwhenIstillhadtherestaurant,Iwasdoingsomecuring.Thenoneday,theopportunitypresenteditselftostartscalingup,makingmyownsalumihereinNewYork.Afterspendingmywholelifeintherestaurant(Iwaspracticallyborninourfamily’strattoria),Iwasreadyforsomethingnew.AtCasella,weareinspiredbytheoldnorcini,travelingbutchersthatwouldgotowntotownhelpingfarmersandfamiliestobutchertheiranimalsandturnthemintosalumi.Theycarriedsomuchknowledgewiththemanditalwaysfeltmagicalwhentheywouldcometoourhomegrowingup.Iwantedmyprosciuttitohonortheirtradition.Prosciuttotoppingonpizza,SanMatteoNYCCouldyouexplainthemaindifferencesbetweenprosciuttocrudoandcotto?Cotto,whichmeanscooked,isbrinedandsteamed.Crudoiscured,normallyinsaltforafewdays,thenagedatdifferenttemperaturesandhumiditylevels.WhenIwasgrowingup,whenyouwenttothestoreandaskedforcotto,youdidn'thavetospecifythatitwasprosciutto.What’sthemostextravagantthingyou’vecookedwithprosciutto?Iliketomakepeanutbrittlewithpiecesofprosciuttoinside.It'sagoodpairingofsweetandsalty.AnothercombinationIlikeistotakeslicesofprosciuttoandcookthematalowtemperatureuntiltheygetcrispy.ThenIservethemasagarnishontopofaBloodyMary,cookedatalowtemperaturesoitgetscrispy. Forevents,oneofthethingsIliketodoismakeafountainwithprosciuttoslices.CesareCasellaHowdoyousuggestservingprosciuttoasanappetizer?Whatdoesitcombinewithbest?Myfavoritewaytoenjoyprosciuttowouldbeunderatreeoffresh,ripefigs.Freshly-pickedsweetfigswiththesaltyprosciuttoandsomewarmcrustybread.Aglassofwinecouldn’thurt.Ifyoudon’thaveatreefullofripefigsattheready,warmbreadandgoodwinewillstilldothetrick.YouclaimthatyourprosciuttoismadebyfollowingtheItaliantradition,butAmericanpigsareusedintheprocess.CanyoutellusmoreaboutbringingtheUSAandItalytogetherintheprosciutto-makingprocess?GoodprosciuttoinItalymeansitcomesfromqualitymeatandit’scuredwithcenturiesofknowledgeandtraditionbehindit.HereintheUSA,wehavesomeindependentfamilyfarmerswhoarededicatedtoraisingheritagebreeds.Theyarededicatedtoold-worldpracticesandallthepigsarepasture-raised.Formyprosciutti,wesourceonlyfromthesededicatedfarmers.Then,thehamsarecuredItalian-style,withsimplicity–justthehighestqualitypork,salt,andtime.HowareAmericanprosciuttidifferentfromtheItalianvariety?Manyofthemostwell-knownstylesofprosciuttothatareimportedtotheUS–suchasprosciuttodiParma,diSanDaniele,etc.–arerequiredtouseacertainbreedtoensurethehamsconsistentlyhavespecificqualities.Theymightworkwithpastureanimalsandlocalbreedslikecintaseneseornebrodi.ReadalsoSpeck:TenWaystoAppreciateItReadalsoHomeCooking:InsalatadiRiso(ItalianRiceSalad)ReadalsoWhitePizzawithProsciutto,BurrataandOrange-infusedOliveOil:theRecipefromBerberèPizzeriaReadalsoHolidayAppetizers:HowtoMakeanItalianProsciuttoBoardReadalsoProsciuttodiCarpegna,aNewFoodSensation,WinsOvertheNYCWFF ReadalsoFICOEatalyMakesaRecord-settingProsciuttoSandwichReadalsoTheU.S.Celebratesthe30thAnniversaryoftheReturnofProsciuttodiParmaProsciuttoProsciuttoCrudoHam(prosciuttoCotto)NewYorkCityChefItalianCuisineSaveSavePrintplayer/empty/article&npa=1||player/&npa=1topstoriesPastaTheDefinitiveGuidetoCacioePepeHowtocookHowtoMakeLasagna:the10MostCommonMistakesHacksPastaTheDefinitiveGuidetoCacioePepeHowtocookHowtoMakeLasagna:the10MostCommonMistakesHackshotTopicPizzaAperitivoNewYorkCitySpaghettiMilanoWineCheesenew!GetfreshItalianrecipesandfoodnewseveryday!Subscribetoournewsletters: DailyLaCucinaItalianaNewsletter WeeklyNewYorkEdition ComingsoontoLosAngeles,SanFrancisco,Miami…TypeyouremailSIGNUPNOW