Enjoy an Italian Aperitivo with Parma Ham

With June bringing in more sunlight than any other month, it's the perfect time to celebrate the Italian tradition of the aperitivo. Traditionally enjoyed as a refreshing drink or snack to whet your appetite before dinner, the aperitivo is a great way to wash off the day's woes and to enjoy the company of your friends and family alongside some fresh food.

These Green Beans wrapped in Parma Ham and Parma Ham Crostini are bound to be a hit at your next dinner party, as they are made with simple, fresh ingredients that will fill your stomach to just the right amount before the main course.

The saltiness of Parma Ham perfectly complements the fresh taste of mozzarella and cherry tomatoes. We would recommend pairing these aperitivi with a crisp Italian wine or an Aperol Spritz!

Green Beans Wrapped in Parma Ham

Serves 4 as a starter or 2 for a light lunch

INGREDIENTS:

For the vinaigrette:

• ½ tbsp. Red wine vinegar
• ¼ tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 50ml Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt & Pepper

For the beans:

• 250g Fine green beans
• 1 Large, banana shallot
• 10g Fresh, flat-leaf parsley
• Salt & Pepper
• 4 Parma Ham slices

METHOD:

1. Place all the ingredients for the dressing into a jug and whisk.
2. Boil the beans in plenty of salted water for at least 5 minutes to ensure they are properly cooked and not still “squeaky”.
3. Drain, refresh with cold water, and drain again thoroughly.
4. Finely-chop the shallot before de-stalking and finely-chopping the parsley.
5. Mix the beans, most of the dressing, the shallots, and the parsley in a large bowl. Season to taste and coat the beans.
6. Lay out the Parma Ham and split the beans into four, laying across the ham before rolling them up.
7. Place onto a plate and drizzle with the remaining dressing.
8. Serve with your favourite bread.

Parma Ham Crostini

An Italian appetiser of grilled bread served with:

• Prosciutto di Parma, mint, figs, walnuts and goat's cheese
• Prosciutto di Parma, artichoke, tomatoes and mozzarella

INGREDIENTS:

For the crostini:

• 2 Loaves of ciabatta
• 1 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
• Small pinch, Sea salt flakes
• Small pinch, Black Pepper

For the toppings:

• 4 Figs, sliced into eighths.
• 10 Cherry tomatoes
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 30g Artichoke hearts in olive oil, quartered
• 100g Mini mozzarella balls
• 25g Walnuts, halved
• 100g Goat's cheese

METHOD:

1. Slice the ciabatta into ½ inch thick crostini.
2. Mix a tbsp of oil, salt, and pepper into a bowl. Add the 12 ciabatta slices to the bowl, cover with clingfilm and shake until evenly-coated.
3. Lay the crostini on the baking tray so they are not touching.
4. Place the figs onto a separate baking tray along with the cherry tomatoes and drizzle with a little olive oil.
5. Place the bread, figs, and tomatoes in the oven. Remove the figs and tomatoes after 10 minutes. After a further 8 minutes, and once golden brown, remove the crostini.
6. To decorate the crostini, add the toppings in small amounts and make them uniform. You may want to burst the cherry tomatoes open as you rub them over the ciabatta so the flavour covers the slices.
7. Once the main ingredients have been added, drizzle a little extra olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt flakes.
8. Finish by adding the Parma Ham in a little twist.

-END-

About Parma Ham

Parma Ham is a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product and is 100% natural. The drying process that Parma Ham goes through creates a ham that is very low in fat content, with many mineral salts, vitamins, antioxidants and easily digestible proteins. This means that Parma Ham is truly a food for everyone.

Prosciutto di Parma is produced in the hills surrounding the Italian town of Parma.

The unique taste of Parma Ham is dependent on the traditional production process passed down from Roman times, carefully controlled by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.  Only hams that have passed stringent curing regulations approved by the EU can be awarded the stamp of the Ducal crown – a five-pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre which is branded onto the ham's skin. The Ducal Crown is now a certification trademark.

In 2018, the production of Prosciutto di Parma saw a considerable growth of 4.8%, with a global production of 8.5 million legs of ham. The United Kingdom market for Prosciutto di Parma generated a €32 million revenue with 17,540,000 pre-sliced packs sold – this is the largest amount of pre-sliced packs of ham sold anywhere in the world.

For more information, please visit www.prosciuttodiparma.com.

Instagram: @parmahamuk         

Twitter: @ParmaHamUK

About Tastehead

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Credit:

Photography by Steve Lee Studios.

Recipes by Micah Carr-Hill and Brandt Maybury, Co-Founders of Tastehead.

Editor's Note:

If you would like to receive more information about Prosciutto di Parma, please contact Georgie Hackett at +44 (0)20 7389 9404 or email g.hackett@brand-dialogue.co.uk.