I’m not the best when it comes to cooking or cooking new things, but I’ve been trying new things and trying to get into it! I was recently introduced to Speck Alto Adige PGI, which is a lightly smoked ham from Northern Italy, and I was intrigued! With Thanksgiving coming up, I thought it would be fun to share Speck Alto Adige PGI as an easy alternative to traditional ham or just in addition. It can be used similarly to bacon or prosciutto, diced, in strips or thinly sliced. It’s very smokey and delicious!

Each ham is air-cured and then lightly smoked creating a really unique flavor and it was definitely reminiscent of bacon but even tastier! The PGI certification of Speck Alto Adige means “protected geographical indication” and ensures that you are buying an authentic product made in its area of origin under strict guidelines. It definitely feels fancy!

I decided to dice it and put it in a simple butter pasta. I just cut thin slices off with a knife and then diced into smaller pieces and threw it in the pasta. It added a delicious smoky flavor to my plain and traditional butter pasta. It can also be sliced and added to a charcuterie board which is definitely something I want to try doing in the future! Any recipe that calls for prosciutto or bacon can be substituted with Speck Alto Adige PGI which gives the dish a lot more depth and flavor with a great smokey taste. I might try it in a Thanksgiving side like Brussel Sprouts in place of pancetta (Italian name for bacon).

For those like me that are getting more into cooking and want something new, easy, and delicious, I definitely recommend trying Speck Alto Adige PGI!