Non-Traditional Crispy Prosciutto Bruschetta
If we’re being honest, Chef Accursio Lota’s Crispy Prosciutto Bruschetta recipe with cicioli, prosciutto crudo fat foam, melon and prickly pear spheres should be put in a museum instead of on a menu. By using prosciutto instead of traditionally used bread, Chef Accursio is making use of the prosciutto skin that usually goes to waste. Not to mention, the prosciutto adds a layer of flavor that enhances this classic dish. By rendering out the fat from the skin, Chef Accursio also provides the plate with a buttery and semi-sweet flavor. One that your guests will come back for.
Ingredients
For the Crispy Prosciutto Base
1 slice Prosciutto di Parma
For the Prickly Pear Sphere
200 grams prickly pear juice
3 grams agar
3 cups canola oil
For the Prosciutto di Parma Fat Foam
500 grams rendered Prosciutto di Parma fat
25 grams glycerin flakes
Prosciutto Crudo Ciccioli
400 grams Prosciutto di Parma skin
1 quart canola oil
Other ingredients
Cantaloupe, sliced
Seagrass
Edible flowers
Herbs for garnish
Instructions
For the Crispy Prosciutto Base
Slice the Prosciutto di Parma and lay it on a baking sheet. Bake at 200°F for about 2 hours, or until crispy.
For the Prickly Pear Sphere
Start by placing the oil in a tall glass pitcher and place it in the freezer for at least 50 minutes (allow the oil to freeze). It’s best to use a tall, skinny glass so that the pearl droplets are able to get cold and gel before reaching the bottom. Next, place the prickly pear juice in a saucepan, dissolve the agar in it and bring it to a simmer, stirring constantly with a whisk. Then, take it off from the heat. Wait a few minutes until the temperature drops to 50-55 ̊C (~120 130 ̊F). If the liquid is too hot, the drops may not cool down enough and therefore won’t gel completely before reaching the bottom of the glass. This could result in deformed spheres. Next, fill a syringe or a dressing bottle with a warm balsamic-agar solution and release it drop by drop into the cold oil. The syringe needs to be high enough for the drops to sink when they get into contact with the oil, but not too high or the drops may break into smaller drops, creating “baby” spheres. Wait a few minutes and then carefully remove them from the oil bath, using a slotted spoon and rinse them in water. You can keep them in a container in the fridge for later use.
For the Prosciutto di Parma Fat Foam
Add the glycerin flakes to the prosciutto fat and melt together in the medium heat. Make sure you remove this quickly from the flame. The glycerine melts very fast when the fat reaches 160F (70°C). Before use, cool the fat down a little bit. When warming up, (120°F) pour in the whipping canister and add the C02. Use when needed.
For the Prosciutto Crudo Ciccioli
Boil the prosciutto skins in salted water (2% of salt respect to the water) for about 2 ½ hours. Remove the skin from the water and dehydrate the skin in the oven at 200F for about 2 hours. Bring the oil to 380°F and quickly fry the dehydrated skins. Keep in the skins in a dry area.