PROSCIUTTO WRAPPED SPICED STUFFED DATES
This decadent and supremely delicious appetizer relies on a suite of flavors to bring sweet, savory, creamy and holiday-spiced goodness all in one bite.
Wrapped and stuffed dates are by no means new to the recipe scene, but irresistible nevertheless. To switch things up a bit, I stuff these with a non-dairy ricotta seasoned with a variety of warming spices. It should not be hard to find plant-based ricotta at your local grocery store, just bear in mind the label and try to select one that uses whole food ingredients only. If you don’t have to worry about dairy sensitivities, feel free to use a dairy ricotta or even better a sheep’s milk ricotta which is gentler on digestion. Adding a small slice of Honeycrisp apple and piece of pecan adds a bit of tang and crunch. I’ve found that wrapping these in prosciutto rather than the typical bacon creates the perfect savory crisp to hold it all together.
YOU WILL NEED
1/2 cup non-dairy ricotta
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
24 dates, pitted
1/2 Honeycrisp apple, cut into 1” long matchsticks
1/4 cup pecan halves, halved lengthwise
4 ounces prosciutto
Maple syrup
TO MAKE
Preheat the oven to 400F.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta and spices.
Gently open each date lengthwise on one side. Stuff about 1 teaspoon of the ricotta into each date, followed by a piece of pecan and piece of apple.
Cut the prosciutto slices in half lengthwise.
Wrap each stuffed date in a piece of prosciutto, gently pressing to ensure it holds together. Brush each date with maple syrup.
Place the wrapped dates on a lined baking sheet and bake until the prosciutto is golden brown and crispy, about 15 minutes.
Serve right away, and enjoy!