Prosciutto crudo is an Italian dry-cured ham that is usually thinly sliced and served uncooked. My vegan version is made from rice paper (a blend of tapioca starch and rice flour). While this may seem odd, the rice paper offers the translucency and sheen of thinly sliced pork-based prosciutto. For this recipe, use square rice paper sheets if you can find them. Round sheets will work too but the square sheets will yield more uniform slices. My original recipe yields three 3”x9” strips of mock prosciutto crudo.
Ingredients
• 3 sheets rice paper (preferably square sheets)
• ¼ cup white shoyu (Japanese white soy sauce)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp beet powder
• olive oil
Preparation
Combine the white shoyu, water, Worcestershire sauce and beet powder in a cup and then pour into a large, shallow baking dish.
Stack the three sheets of rice paper together and then immerse in the marinade. Allow to soak until most of the marinade has been absorbed and the rice paper is moist and supple and nicely colored, about 10 minutes. The sheets will stick together – this is desirable. The three sheets of rice paper will yield one sheet of prosciutto.
Carefully transfer the mock prosciutto to a baker’s cooling rack to drain briefly. Transfer again to a work surface and slice into 3 strips. Rub the strips generously with olive oil to keep them moist and supple. The oil is essential and is not optional; without it the texture will be quite rubbery.
For the best texture experience, use the mock prosciutto immediately if possible. The strips can be stored in a food storage bag in the refrigerator if necessary but will acquire a chewier texture during storage. Use in your favorite recipe as desired. Mock prosciutto works well for baked appetizers too.
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