Cooked Ham (Prosciutto Cotto)

Prosciutto cotto is pork leg that has been brined and then cooked (usually steamed or baked) rather than air-cured. It is the Italian equivalent of cooked ham — the standard product at supermarket deli counters and the most consumed salumi in Italy by volume.

Prosciutto Cotto vs Prosciutto Crudo

The most important distinction in Italian salumi:

Prosciutto cotto: Cooked. Mild flavour, tender texture, pale pink colour. Used in pizza, pasta, and panini. Sold sliced at deli counters or pre-packaged.

Prosciutto crudo: Air-cured and raw. Intense, sweet-savoury flavour, darker colour. Parma DOP and San Daniele DOP are the most prized varieties. Not the same as prosciutto cotto — they are not substitutable in most applications.

This recipe database uses prosciutto cotto only. When a recipe calls for prosciutto, it means the cooked variety unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Quality Grades

Italian supermarkets typically sell three tiers:

• Standard (€14–17/kg): Adequate for pasta sauces and pizza toppings where other flavours dominate.
• Alta qualità (€18–22/kg): Higher pork content, less water added. Better for sandwiches where the ham flavour is central.
• Artigianale (€24+/kg): Artisan-produced. Not necessary for cooked dishes.

Cost Context

At Italian supermarkets (Q1 2025), prosciutto cotto is priced at approximately €18.00/kg for the standard mid-range quality. A 100g portion — sufficient for one pasta dish for 4 servings — costs approximately €1.80. This makes it the dominant cost driver in pasta panna e prosciutto, representing 55% of total ingredient cost.

Use the Recipe Cost Calculator to model exact costs at different quantities.