There are two people in the world who I think appreciate wine and cheese as much as I do: my sister and my friend Sara.
This past week, I was visiting my sister before I start a new job tomorrow (wish me luck!). We did wedding things and of course there was wine and cheese. One night, while enjoying some wine with cheese and prosciutto, we had a great idea.
Let’s put it all together with dates, because dates are always a good idea (and Jesse’s mom loves to give us boxes of dates and we love it).
Smoked cheddar. Dates. Prosciutto.
Awesome flavor combos.
Normally, I’m all for bacon wrapped dates, but I think I actually prefer prosciutto for a few reason:
- It’s thinner. Someones I feel like the bacon can be so thick that you have to bake it forever and your risk the date getting charred. Sometimes the bacon also overpowers the dates and filling. This is the perfect balance.
- Less baking time. Prosciutto doesn’t need to be cooked. So you put it in the oven long enough for the cheese to melt and the prosciutto to get a little bit crispy (about 10 minutes).
This is really a non-recipe. I can’t tell you exactly how much cheese I put in each date, because each date is different but here’s roughly what you’ll need.
Trust me, you’ll want to make these for your next wine and cheese party.
Prosciutto Wrapped Dates Stuffed with Smokey Cheese
Medjool dates, washed and pitted
Smoked Cheese (such as smoked cheddar, smoked gouda, this time I used smoked cheddar with caramelized onion from Trader Joe’s)
Prosciutto or Jamon Serrano (I tried with both and both were great)
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Pit your dates by cutting a small slit down the side, then pulling out the pit. Where the pit was, slide in little chunks of cheese then pinch the date back together. Next take some prosciutto and wrap it around each date. I used about half a slice for each date.
Lay on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake 10-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and prosciutto is crispy.
Serve with wine and enjoy!
Foodologie 