Prosciutto e Melone

A two-ingredient classic Italian combination that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and salty. Perfect as a snack or appetizer.

I have to tell you, when I first tried this dish in Italy, it completely opened up my eyes to how food can be so ridiculously simple yet tastes like a major flavor bomb. With just two ingredients — melon and prosciutto — this combination is the perfect dichotomy of sweet and salty. Since I first tried it in Italy, I’ve made this for myself countless times.

When I had this in Italy, it was always made with cantaloupe. I later realized that cantaloupe tastes vastly different here in the US than in Italy. For some reason, the melon just isn’t as sweet in the US. For this dish to work, you need that ultra sweetness from the fruit to pair with the saltiness of the cured meat. So I tried substituting the cantaloupe with hami melon, and it works deliciously! If you’re unfamiliar with this melon, it’s basically a sweeter version of cantaloupe and with crisper flesh. I grew up eating this fruit in China, that’s why it just popped into my head when I was looking for a cantaloupe alternative.

I know hami melons aren’t available in most grocery stores. I bought mine from an H Mart. You can check out your local H Mart or other Asian grocery stores. Even if you can’t get your hands on a hami melon, a really good cantaloupe works too.

This combination is so delicious that you’d want to eat it as a snack, an appetizer, or even as a meal.

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