Fruit with Prosciutto
Melon is the fruit most traditionally paired with prosciutto, but this deep pink, delicate meat—the most prized of all Italian hams—is good with whatever summer fruit is in its prime. The fruit should be fragrant even before you cut it open and the flesh should be firm, not mushy. A pinch of sea salt will bring out its natural sweetness.
Ingredients:
- Nectarines, figs, cantaloupe, honeydew and/or other ripe
summer fruits - 8 paper-thin slices prosciutto
- 1/2 lemon
- Sea salt, to taste
Directions:
Pit or seed the fruit, if necessary, and cut into halves or wedges. If using melon, cut the rind from the fruit. Arrange the fruit and prosciutto on a platter. Squeeze the lemon over the fruit and then sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
Serve immediately, instructing diners to wrap the fruit in the prosciutto. Serves 4 to 6.
Fresh take: In the fall, track down Fuyu persimmons, which taste of apricot and tomato. In place of the prosciutto, try northern Italian bresaola, a mildly sweet air-dried beef, or serrano ham.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Good Food to Share, by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan (Weldon Owen, 2010).