A.K.A

smoked prosciutto

What is it?

If you loveprosciutto, imagine it with subtle herbal undertones and a touch of smoke, and you’ve got speck. This centuries-old product from the Alto Adige, an alpine region of Italy, is a fairly recent import to the United States, so it’s not nearly as well known as prosciutto. True to speck’s geographic roots, the process used to make it borrows from both the salt curing and air drying traditions of Mediterranean Italy (as for prosciutto) and the technique of smoking meats, a Germanic influence.

How to prep:

It’s firmer and a deeper red than prosciutto and is usually served thinly sliced. It can also be chopped to flavor soups, stews, and other dishes.

Recipes

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  Recipe

  Alpine Linguine

  Inspired by the cuisine of Northern Italy, this pasta dish features thin slices of caramelized Brussels sprouts and crispy bites of speck, the smoky cousin of prosciutto, which will also…

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  Recipe

  Spinach Spätzli with Sage and Speck

  This simple preparation is a staple in the alpine region of Italy. The few basics of butter, Parmigiano- Reggiano, and speck (a smoked and cured ham) are widely available, even…