Arugula Insalata with Strawberries, Speck, Pecorino Sardo

I dig this beautiful salad as a first course. The strawberries, lightly marinated and wrapped in the speck, go great with the pecorino sardo, which is a creamier, richer, less biting variant of its more famous cousin, pecorino romano.

Arugula Insalata con Fragole, Speck, e Pecorino Sardo

Speck is a salumi that is both cured and smoked. A pig's hind leg is boned and divided into individual hams, called baffe. Each baffe is cured with seasoning and salt. They are then cold smoked over wood and, ultimately, matured for several months. Speck is common in Austria, Germany, and northern Italy, and each region has its own seasonings and practices behind the product. The most famous Speck, Speck dell'Alto Adige, is from the Italian region of Trentino-Alto Adige. Lean, smoky, moderately seasoned, and offering a delicate pork flavor, Speck is a wonderful smoked alternative to prosciutto di parma and shines when wrapped around fruits, such as this dish's strawberries.

Arugula Salad with Strawberries, Speck, and Pecorino Sardo

Makes four salad course-sized servings. For a more substantial meal, add an additional speck-wrapped strawberry or two to each plate.

Ingredients:

about 16 fresh strawberries, tops trimmed
1/2 a medium lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons of your best peppery olive oil
about 8 thin slices Speck dell'Alto Adige
6 cups arugula
1/2 cups basil leaves, lightly-packed, preferably Genovese
balsamic vinaigrette (recipe)
1/3 pound pecorino sardo or pecorino caggiano, peeled
sea salt, to taste
freshly-ground black pepper, to taste

In a mixing bowl, toss the strawberries with the lemon juice and olive oil. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Slicing the Speck dell'Alto Adige in half

Cut each slice of speck width-wise in half.

Wrap each strawberry in one of the slices of speck

Wrap each strawberry in one of the speck half slices. Set aside.

Toss the arugula and basil with the balsamic vinaigrette, salt, and pepper.

Plated and ready to serve

Place a handful of the arugula and basil on each plate, topped with about four speck-wrapped strawberries. Sprinkle with pecorino sardo. Drizzle a little more vinaigrette atop. Serve. Pairs well with a crisp Pinot Gris from either Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia or Trentino-Alto Adige region.