The Celts were the first culture to use salt in preserving pork, and their arrival in the hill town of San Daniele del Friuli around 400 BC marks the origin of this celebrated ham. Throughout Roman and medieval times, prosciutto di San Daniele was a valuable commodity. Later, during several centuries of Venetian rule, generous donations of prosciutto to the Doges of Venice earned the town lengthy periods of relative independence.
Though not produced in such mass quantities as the widely distributed prosciutto di Parma, prosciutto from San Daniele is considered by many to be more delicate and flavorful due to the unique climate where salty Adriatic breezes intermingle with fresh Alpine air. The nearby Tagliamento River acts as a natural ventilation system, helping to circulate the warm and cool winds while maintaining a low humidity.
Further north in the Carnia mountains, Prosciuttificio Wolf Sauris produces another well-known ham. The business was founded in the mid-19th century by pork butcher Pietro Schneider, who, during slaughter season, would go from home to home preparing prosciutto and other salumi for local residents. The Schneider family continued Pietro’s tradition of curing pork for nearly a century, until his grandson Beppino Petris took over and expanded the business in the 1960s, officially renaming it after Pietro’s nickname “Wolf.” Today, in a barn-like factory in Sauris di Sotto, Wolf smokes its product using a combination of various woods and herbs, giving the ham its characteristic smoky flavor and aroma.
The following are four dishes starring prosciutto; feel free to use either prosciutto di San Daniele or prosciutto di Sauris…or any other variety that is readily available to you.
Asparagi con Prosciutto
This appetizer makes use of the white asparagus from Tavagnacco in addition to prosciutto di San Daniele. Slices of ham are wrapped around bundles of the tender spears, sprinkled with aged Montasio cheese, and baked.
Risotto con gli Asparagi
A holdover from Friuli’s days as part of the Venetian Republic, risotto is a popular first course, with many tasty variations. Like the above appetizer, this springtime risotto makes use of both prosciutto di San Daniele and white asparagus.
Tagliolini al Prosciutto
You will find this dish, or a variation thereof, on restaurant menus throughout the town of San Daniele del Friuli. It couldn’t be simpler to prepare, as the only ingredients are dried pasta, heavy cream, prosciutto, and poppy seeds.
Gnocchi Croccanti di Sauris
These crispy stuffed gnocchi are a specialty at Ristorante Alla Pace in Sauris di Sotto. The dough is a basic potato dough, and the dumplings are stuffed with a mixture of prosciutto di Sauris and aged Montasio cheese. Once they have been boiled, the gnocchi are pan-fried in butter until crisp. Alla Pace then serves them on a bed of wilted arugula.
Recipes for all four of these dishes may be found in my cookbook Flavors of Friuli: A Culinary Journey through Northeastern Italy.
