The Hidden Wonder of Prosciutto San Daniele from Friuli
A delicious plate of freshly sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele
At our August 2nd VeroTalk (recording available HERE) Hilde Petrussa and her daughter Francesca welcomed us into their vineyards, winery, and home for an intimate, personal visit. They shared with us one of their favorite local foods: Prosciutto Crudo di San Daniele, or Italian cured ham from San Daniele, in Friuli, which is tucked into the Northeastern most corner of Italy.
In Italian culture, the aperitivo is a classic way to start off an evening or to socialize with friends. Before the dinner bells, Italians gather in bars or cafes to share a bite of good food and a glass of wine and chat with friends and whoever is passing by. It’s such a long standing tradition in Friuli that they practically invented happy hour in Italy!
No combination is more typical or expected of this early evening ritual, than that of prosciutto (cured ham) and white wine. While there may be many types of cured meats in Italy, and similarly many types of white wine, you can taste the history between the match of the prosciutto from San Daniele and Friulano white wine made from the indigenous Friulano grape in the vineyards and winery of Vigna Petrussa. Both this food and wine are made in the Udine province in Friuli. In fact, traditional pairings like this are not made by chance but are heaped in tradition.
Prosciutto from San Daniele is saltier than its more famous cousin, Prosciutto from Parma. However, it has a smoother mouthfeel and a more rounded flavor. As Chef Gioele Colonna states, ‘The air in San Daniele is different; it has both mountain and sea influence (from the Carnic Alps to the north and Adriatic Sea to the south). That infuses it with special characteristics that cannot be imitated by landlocked Parma.’ It is best enjoyed sliced thinly, even by hand if possible. It is delectable eaten alone, wrapped around a grissini bread stick, or laid over warm crostini sliced bread. Traditionally, Friulanos serve it with fresh or pickled vegetables and olives.
Paired with the right wine, Prosciutto from San Daniele can be truly extraordinary. While versatile, it goes best with fresh and fragrant white wines. Wines local to the Friuli area bring out similar flavor characteristics to the air-dried prosciutto. Friulanos traditionally pair their prosciutto with, you guessed it, Friulano white wine. All wines from Friuli Venezia Giulia (the official name of the Italian region) are graced with the longest growing season in Italy which enables them to have high acidity but also are easy to drink. This makes them pair well with prosciutto, cutting through the saltiness, and also great to drink on their own. Or try an international white wine grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc goes nicely with the fattiness of the meat - Italians say the fat of Prosciutto is the best part! But this doesn’t mean that you can’t have a fresh and flavorful Friulian red wine with Prosciutto, say a Refosco or Schioppettino, both native Friulian red grape varieties.
As demonstrated here, Prosciutto di San Daniele is best enjoyed sliced by hand. But the technique takes practice to master a slice thin enough to enjoy.
According to the website of the Prosciutto di San Daniele consortium, cured hams have been made in the region since Roman times. However, already in the 1400s, Prosciutto itself is named in Friulian historical documents as an excellent way to start a meal. By the 1970s popularity had grown, and Italy recognized Prosciutto from San Daniele as a product of protected origin, DOP. This means it can only be made in a certain area (the township of San Daniele in Friuli Venezia Giulia) and the finished products must be inspected by the governing consortium before being labeled and sold as ‘Prosciutto di San Daniele’.
Prosciutto from San Daniele’s prestige and value comes from its unique and time-consuming curing and aging processes. Aged a minimum of 13 months, it undergoes a lengthy journey. After a special selection (not all ham hocks have the appropriate size and shape to become Prosciutto), it is heavily salted, then set into special pressing racks to put pressure and weight on the meat in the early stages and form it into its recognizable shape. After resting, the legs are washed and hung in special drying rooms to allow full maturation of the prosciutto. After the requisite 13 months, the prosciutto is inspected by the consortium and branded for sale.
Locals to Friuli will tell you, there is a difference between machine sliced and hand sliced prosciutto; hand slicing allows its true flavors, history, and traditions to come through. However, this is not easy task, as a slice too thick is overpowering, but too thin has no texture. Chefs and butchers spend decades to learn the precise movements and techniques need to to truly honor the heritage and flavors of Prosciutto di San Daniele.
Pair some Prosciutto from San Daniele with Vigna Petrussa’s, or one of our other small production, hard-to-find, wines, and let us know what you think! You can buy wine, and olive oil, in our online shop, and we will ship it directly to you! Free shipping on a case or more!
