Prosciutto

It is cut gently, like playing the violin - Istrians will say when talking about their favourite product. A slice must be cut skilfully, as long and as large as possible, but by no means too thin. So as you'll guess, we are talking about the prosciutto, the favourite appetizer both at home and in almost every restaurant and tavern.

Only a few Mediterranean countries produce the genuine prosciutto. The largest producers are Italy, Spain and France, but although it is much smaller, Croatia too can compete with them when it comes to the quality of the prosciutto. In Croatia, we distinguish among four protected types of the prosciutto – the Istrian prosciutto, the Krk prosciutto, the Dalmatian prosciutto and the Drniš prosciutto. Just as the remaining three types of the prosciutto, the Istrian prosciutto is protected at the level of the European Union. What makes the Istrian prosciutto different is that it is prepared without skin and air-dried and not smoked. Also, proper drying and ripening of prosciutto is much longer for the Istrian prosciutto.

Such a way of preparation results in an intensive smell and aroma, and a moderately salty but very pleasant taste. The meat is of a uniform red colour and a few white lines here and there give an extra quality to the prosciutto. The unique flavour of the Istrian prosciutto is due to seasoning – before drying, the prosciutto is cured with a mixture of salt, pepper, rosemary and bay leaves. Winds such as “bura”, characteristic of the climate in Istria, are most responsible for proper drying. The fact that merely 10% of the year is wind-free in the central part of Istria and the absence of extremely low temperatures make this area ideal for the production of the Istrian prosciutto. 

When the prosciutto is ready to be served, it is cut manually, and skilful cutters of long slices are considered to be real masters. In honour of the prosciutto, every year in October, Tinjan hosts the International Prosciutto Fair, where thousands of visitors from Istria, Croatia and other countries enjoy delicious slices of the prosciutto over a glass of good wine and a great deal of entertainment. Precisely the small Tinjan is considered to be the home of the Istrian prosciutto, and in Tinjan, its surrounding area but also in the whole Istria, there are prosciutto production sites, where you can taste and buy this delicious product. No matter how big or small the slices are, their intoxicating aroma will seduce you and make you want to taste them, and it is their unparalleled flavour what makes the Istrian prosciutto the first violin of the local gastronomy.