My favorite starters with 2-unspoilers come from a 100-year-old Italian cookbook

My family is not Italian, so my first exposure to it is true Italian food Was not at home, but under the employment of two Sicilian Restaurant owner. If it is distant to everything that is not spaghetti And Pepperoni Pizza, this first crash course in an Italian restaurant is a big awakening.

Now I can’t get enough Italian food. I can become poetic for paragraphs via pizza and pasta, but one of my favorite dishes is an unexpectedly simple starter that I would not love at first.

This starter only uses two ingredients, melon and ProsciuttoTo create a sweet and salty combination, you can adapt in different ways. The combination of ham and melon is not unpopular. In fact, it’s pretty traditional. The court comes from ancient Rome, but achieved popularity Many thanks to Pellegrino Artusi After the first appearance in his famous cookbook, which was published in 1891.

“This is a fantastic traditional summer meal in Italy,” says Allrecipes all star buckwheat queen. “Undoubtedly you will find this on every table in Italy from north to south. The key is the quality of the ham and the maturity of the melon.”

Why I love ham and cantaloupe

I love the combination of melon and ham for its simplicity, its contrasting sweet and salty aromas and their refreshing taste. This dish can be finished in just a few minutes, and no cooking is really required.

The quality of the Prosciutto And from the Kantalupe is important. I’m not too picky with ham, but it doesn’t matter me to pay one or two additional dollars for the best hardened meat.

As far as Cantaloupe is concerned, there are some ways to tell a mature melon from a undermand. A brown, sandy gold or a yellow color under the mains -like texture of the Kantaloupe must mean a juicy and sweet melon. If you knock on the melon and rather a deep, deep and solid sound than a hollow hearing, this is also a great sign.

More inspiration

• Allstar Buckwheat queen loves to serve this dish as a starter or easy meal Classic bread pour And a light, dry white wine.
• Kantalupe Is not the only fruit that you can combine with ham. I first ate this dish with me Honeydew MelonAnd it was the version that made me addicted, but you can combine any melon with ham. As long as the fruit is ripe and sweet, you have a great starter.
• I love this starter with a few additions. I have a larger sweet tooth than some, so I like to add a little honey and a creamy dip, how Ricotta Cream cheese. The other is with a drizzle made of balsamic vinegar for a rich, sweet and acidic blow.

Common praise

• “We do a lot in summer,” says reviewer Missi. “Always add a pressure from fresh lime juice and a frizzy freshly cracked pepper. Amazing!”
• “Fabulous recipe! Simply and easy,” says reviewer Linda. “Use high -quality prosciutto and a good melon and you can’t do anything wrong (quality gravel is not slimy because some reviews pay attention to slimming.
• “It is a fantastic starter that I once treated in a first-class restaurant years ago. Since then I have only made it a few times because I question the quality of the packaged ham in the chain food transactions. This recipe is indeed a memory for me. Melon!” -Allrecipes member amberfish9262

Get the recipe: Ham and melon (Italian ham and melon)