The Portuguese tasting board for Alentejano black-pig PDO ham — paper-thin slices on warm Alentejano bread, with cheese, olives, and a glass of vinho tinto from the same region. A pre-meal Portuguese ritual.
Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 0 min
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Ingredients
- 150 g Presunto de Barrancos PDO, hand-cut into paper-thin slices
- 1 loaf pão Alentejano, sliced thick
- 200 g Queijo de Évora or aged Manchego, in wedges
- 100 g Galega olives or other Portuguese olives
- Extra-virgin olive oil from the Alentejo
- Black pepper
- Wedges of fresh fig (in season)
- 1 bottle of Alentejano red wine
Method
- 1Bring the presunto to room temperature 45 minutes before serving — chilled, the cure has none of its sweetness.
- 2Lightly warm the bread in a low oven or on a dry pan — it shouldn't toast, just soften and release its scent.
- 3Arrange the presunto loosely on a wooden board in overlapping rosettes. Don't lay flat.
- 4Place the cheese, olives, and figs alongside.
- 5Drizzle the bread (not the ham) with olive oil and crack a little black pepper.
- 6Eat slowly, alternating between the ham, the cheese, and small sips of wine.
Chef's tip
Presunto de Barrancos is intensely concentrated — small slices and lots of bread is the right ratio. Don't pair with anything sharp; it dominates.