Kamil Perry
Prosciutto is a delicate, fine Italian meat with a buttery texture and a slightly sweet and salty flavour. It is often served thinly sliced on sandwiches, in pasta, or in salads. When it comes to choosing a cheese to pair with prosciutto, a bold, strong cheese with a salty, sharp or nutty flavour is recommended to complement the cured meat. Popular choices include Parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, blue cheese, feta, and halloumi. These cheeses can be served on a charcuterie board or incorporated into dishes such as pizza, paninis, or salads.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cheese texture | Smooth, delicate, creamy, crumbly, hard, soft, semi-hard, sharp, salty, nutty, tangy, unripened, blue, soft, white, buttery |
| Cheese type | Provolone, Parmesan, Mozzarella, Gorgonzola, Asiago, Grana Padano, Pecorino, Stilton, Feta, Spanish Manchego, Double Gloucester, Piave, Cheddar, Smoked Mozzarella, Petit Basque, Blue Cheese, Halloumi, Goat Cheese, Brie, Smoked Gouda, Gruyere |
| Cheese origin | Italian, French, English, American |
| Flavour | Sweet, savoury, salty, nutty, fruity, tangy, rich, sharp |
What You'll Learn
Mozzarella
For a summer treat, try a fresh mozzarella made from buffalo milk. The unique characteristics of buffalo mozzarella come from the fresh milk, which can only be found in Italy. This type of mozzarella is called Mozzarella di Bufala Campana and is produced in specific regions of Italy, including Campania, Lazio, Puglia, and Molise.
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Parmesan
To counteract the saltiness of the pairing, you could add a nutty-flavoured cracker, or the sharp flavour of a tart green olive or roasted garlic. You could also try wrapping a slice of prosciutto around a chunk of Parmesan for an appetizer.
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Blue cheese
When creating a prosciutto and blue cheese pairing, consider the following:
- Serving method: Prosciutto is often thinly sliced, so it pairs well with crumbly blue cheese. The soft or crumbly texture of blue cheese allows for easy spreading on crackers or bread, with prosciutto layered on top.
- Flavour: Blue cheese has a strong, salty and sharp flavour that can stand up to the saltiness of prosciutto. The saltiness of both ingredients creates a delightful combination.
- Texture: Blue cheese tends to be soft or crumbly, creating an interesting contrast to the thin and delicate slices of prosciutto.
- Accompaniments: To enhance the pairing, consider adding accompaniments such as crackers, nuts or pretzels for added texture. You can also include sweet elements like dried figs or melon to balance the saltiness of the blue cheese and prosciutto.
In summary, blue cheese is an excellent choice to pair with prosciutto due to its bold flavour and crumbly texture. The sharpness and saltiness of blue cheese complement the delicate and buttery taste of prosciutto, creating a unique and enjoyable culinary experience.
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Feta
To add some sweetness to this pairing, you could add dried figs or melon, which are both great complements to the bold flavours of the feta and prosciutto.
If you are making a charcuterie board, you could add some crackers or nuts for texture, and grapes or jams for some extra sweetness.
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Provolone
When coupled with prosciutto, the flavours in the provolone complement the meat beautifully. You can enjoy this cheese hard or melted with your prosciutto.
Prosciutto is a delicate Italian meat, thinly sliced from the hind leg of a pig. Its dry-curing process gives it a buttery, smooth texture with a slightly sweet and salty flavour.
When pairing prosciutto with cheese, it is important to select a cheese that can stand up to the full flavour of the cured meat. Prosciutto can easily overpower milder cheeses, so stronger, bolder cheeses with salty, sharp or nutty flavours are usually a good match.
The smooth, rich flavour and tender texture of prosciutto pair well with crumbly, hard and soft cheeses.
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Frequently asked questions
Classic cheese pairings with prosciutto include parmesan, pecorino or grana padano.
Prosciutto tends to pair well with crumbly, hard and soft cheeses.
Some specific cheeses that go well with prosciutto include provolone, mozzarella, blue cheese, feta, halloumi, smoked gouda, and gruyere.
