Italy’s most famous ham: just pork, sea salt, air and time.
Where it comes from
Prosciutto di Parma is made in the hills south of Parma, in Emilia-Romagna. The pigs come from a defined area of northern and central Italy. The ham itself must be cured in the Parma hills, where dry air from the sea and the mountains meets.
The recipe is famously short: pork legs and sea salt, nothing else. No smoke, no nitrites, no spices. The legs are salted, rested, washed, and then hung to dry for more than a year. Each finished ham is branded with the five-pointed ducal crown. It has been a protected designation of origin (PDO) since 1996.
How it tastes
Sweeter and more delicate than Spanish ham. Rosy pink meat, pure white fat, and a gentle, savoury sweetness. Longer-aged hams turn deeper and nuttier.
How to buy and serve it
- Look for the crown brand on the ham, or on the pack.
- Ask for it sliced very thin, almost transparent, and keep the fat on.
- Serve it at room temperature, separated by paper so the slices do not stick.
- Eat it on the day it is sliced. It dries out fast.
The pairing
The local answer is a dry, fizzy Lambrusco. Its bubbles and acidity lift the fat, and its fruit flatters the ham’s sweetness. Parma and Lambrusco come from the same region.
- Italian white: Pieropan Soave Classico (about €14). Almond and pear, gentle and fresh.
- Bubbles: a dry Prosecco or Franciacorta.
- Close to home: a Luxembourg Crémant.
Also try it with
- Ripe melon or fresh figs.
- Grissini, the thin breadsticks of Turin.
- Buffalo mozzarella and a drizzle of olive oil.
- Torn over a pizza as soon as it leaves the oven.
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Photo: Pixabay
Prices were checked in October 2026 and can change. Please drink responsibly. L’abus d’alcool est dangereux pour la santé, à consommer avec modération.