The Bacon Swap That Bobby Flay Enjoys For Breakfast

Bacon and eggs are so traditionally paired for breakfast that we almost think of them as one — baconandeggs — instead of two deliciously partnered ingredients. New York City's classic bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich adds cheesy goodness to this combo, and as a native New Yorker, it's not a surprise that Bobby Flay stans it as his favorite late-night snack. As much as the celebrity chef may like bacon, he also enjoys swapping it for crispy prosciutto for fancier morning eggs.

Flay crisps up the thin prosciutto slices by frying them over medium-high heat in a good amount of neutral oil. The fat quickly starts to render out, and the slices shrink some in the pan after just 30 seconds to one minute on each side. The prosciutto is drained on paper towels, where it'll crisp more as it cools. Flay serves creamy scrambled eggs and crispy prosciutto slices on focaccia bread for a breakfast sandwich with Italian flair.

Because fat does render from the prosciutto, you can also fry it in a non-stick or cast iron pan without any oil. However, you should use some oil with other pans. You can crisp it in the oven too, putting slices on parchment paper and cooking at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for around 10 minutes. Other options are cooking it in the microwave between paper towels for 30 seconds or in the air fryer, also at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Although crispy prosciutto can be substituted for bacon, the two pork products are less similar than you might think. Prosciutto is made from pigs' hind legs, while bacon is made from the belly. Both are first cured with salt, but unlike prosciutto, bacon is then smoked. Prosciutto made traditionally instead goes through a dry-curing process that includes hanging in rooms with large windows for exposure to the outside air — this can take anywhere from a few months to up to three years. Bacon also is not eaten raw, while that's how prosciutto's luxurious savory-sweet and salty flavor is normally appreciated.

What we usually think of as prosciutto is actually called prosciutto crudo (meaning raw prosciutto) by Italians. That distinguishes it from prosciutto cotto (cooked prosciutto), which is made by slowly cooking the pigs' hind legs instead of dry-curing them. There's also another Italian pork product called pancetta, which is different from prosciutto but sometimes gets confused with it.

Whether you fry, oven-bake, microwave, or air fry it, crispy prosciutto can fill in for bacon in almost any dish, not just with eggs. Use whole pieces on top of a burger, stacked in a club sandwich, pressed in a grilled cheese, or layered with lettuce and tomato in a prosciutto-swapped BLT. Toss crumbled crispy prosciutto with salads and pastas, sprinkle it on baked potatoes, or use it to generously top nachos. Add this Italian meat to mashed potatoes like Giada De Laurentiis, blend it with softened butter or mayo to create a spread, or sprinkle it on popcorn to bring a savory oomph to your favorite movie-watching snack.