Prosciutto di Carpegna DOP: Marche Curing Since the 1400s

Prosciutto di Carpegna is a prosciutto crudo from Italy's central Marche region, a centuries-old tradition dating back to the Middle Ages. Its place in the U.S. is thanks to Fratelli Beretta, a family-owned Italian salumi producer that has passed down the traditions of Prosciutto di Carpegna for nearly 200 years. Like many Italian salumi, it comes with its own production guidelines and flavor profile.

A long, long time ago

The origins of Prosciutto di Carpegna go back as far as the 1400s. Salt curing was then a popular way to preserve meat, particularly in central Italy, where a constant breeze, warm summers and cool winters offer the right climate for curing. Carpegna is a small village inside a territory that stretches between Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Toscana.

Fratelli Beretta's production facility sits in the heart of the Carpegna territory, in the Montefeltro mountains. Day after day the prosciutto is tended by hand as it ages slowly, following curing traditions of the area that have been preserved since the Middle Ages and handed down from generation to generation.

How Prosciutto di Carpegna is made

To be certified DOP, Prosciutto di Carpegna must follow strict production guidelines, among the strictest in existence. Over the centuries only a few experts have perfected and handed down the art.

• The pigs: only the Italian breed known as Pesante Padano, or "heavy pigs," from Lombardia, Emilia-Romagna or Marche. The pigs must be at least 10 months old before butchering.
• The curing: pork thighs are carefully selected and massaged with sea salt, then left to dry in rooms with controlled temperature and humidity.
• The time: a minimum of 14 months to be DOP, while 20 months is often deemed best for quality.

Fratelli Beretta produces its Prosciutto di Carpegna in a single plant. The keepers of its secrets are ten master butchers, the Maestri Salumai. They cure the prosciutto with the famous sweet salt of Cervia and a secret coating blend of lard and spices.

At the end of the 20-month process, they prick each prosciutto with a thin needle along specific points of the leg to test whether it is ready. Then they declare the process complete and label it "Prosciutto di Carpegna DOP."

What it tastes like

Sweet and delicate, Prosciutto di Carpegna has a pleasantly intense aroma and a soft texture. The blend of lard and spices lends a delicate scent, while the Cervia sea salt gives the pork a lightly sweet flavor. It is free of preservatives and additives, which gives it a pure, clean taste.

We prefer to slice it paper thin and serve it on its own or atop rustic bread.

Find it at Eataly

Prosciutto di Carpegna DOP is available at Eataly's Salumi and Formaggi counters, in the takeaway fridges and in the restaurants. Find your local Eataly to get a taste.