Prosciutto e Melone
Prosciutto e melone: the Italian summer antipasto that plays sweet against salty. See why thin ham and cold melon are the keys to getting it right.
10 min
Easy
Italiana
2 servings
The story behind
Sweet and salty meet in their simplest, most elegant form here: cold cantaloupe draped with paper-thin slices of cured ham. Prosciutto e melone is the quintessential Italian summer antipasto, a light opener meant to wake up the appetite rather than fill it. The whole dish rests on contrast. Prosciutto di Parma, air-cured for months in the Emilia-Romagna region, brings concentrated salt and savory depth, while ripe melon answers with cool sweetness and juice that refreshes the palate. The pairing of fruit with cured meat is genuinely old; Roman cooks already prized such combinations, partly believing that melon, thought of as cooling, needed something salty to balance it. The execution is minimal but precise. Serve the melon thoroughly chilled and slice the ham as thinly as possible, letting it sit at room temperature so its fat softens and perfumes the fruit. A few basil leaves, and perhaps a thread of oil or a grind of pepper, finish it without overshadowing the two stars.
Instructions
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1Cut the cantaloupe melon in half, scoop out the seeds with a spoon, and slice it into uniform wedges.
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2Carefully run a sharp knife between the flesh and the skin of each wedge to remove the rind completely.
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3Take the prosciutto out of the fridge about 5 minutes before assembling so the delicate slices separate easily without tearing.
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4Gently drape and wrap a slice of prosciutto around the center of each prepared melon wedge.
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5Arrange the wrapped melon beautifully on a serving platter or a light wooden board.
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6Tuck the fresh basil and arugula leaves neatly around the melon pieces for contrast.
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7If desired, finish with a tiny drizzle of premium extra virgin olive oil and a touch of freshly cracked black pepper right before serving.
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