The national ham is a ham made with Italian meats, which follows the processing, salting and seasoning procedures of the tradition of the master butchers.
The realization of the “raw” consists of several phases: first of all it is massaged and salted, this is a procedure that is carried out in the factories of the best ham factories in the area, where the machines are accompanied by manual work. The ham is then left to rest: the salt absorbs most of the excess liquids, giving the meat a first “flavor”.
After the first few days (in which the product is left to rest horizontally), a second processing takes place: a massaging of the meat with a consequent resting phase.
After a few weeks we proceed to the last processing of the meat, which has now absorbed the right amount of salt, and we move on to the grinding.
At this point the actual curing begins: depending on the size of the ham and the type of compactness desired, curing can last from 9 to 24 months.
The national ham can have a variable weight and, normally, it is around 8 kg. 
What can you make with the last piece of this ham? A delicious bean soup.
This is a recipe coming directly from tradition, ideal especially for cold winter evenings.
Ingredients for 4 people
- 600 gr of leg of ham
- 800 gr of cooked beans
- 1 onion
- 1 clove garlic
- celery and carrot stick
- 600 gr of tomato sauce
- sage
- chives
- 1 lemon
- 200 ml of white wine
- chili pepper
- 4 slices of bland bread
- extra virgin olive oil
Method
In a pot, arrange the chopped herbs, a drizzle of oil and put on the fire to dry gently. Add the ham cut into small pieces, deglaze with the wine and continue to cook for 15 minutes.
Put the tomato puree, the chopped herbs, the grated lemon peel and the chilli pepper.
Cook for about 10 minutes, then pour in the previously cooked beans or, if you use canned ones, drain and rinse.
Cook for another 30 minutes, adding hot water if it gets too dry. Serve on a slice of toast and drizzled with oil.
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