An easy and elegant appetizer: figs wrapped in savory prosciutto and served on puff pastry with chevre.
When trying to think of a sweet-savory appetizer that would be decadent enough for a holiday or New Year's Eve party, I recalled a bacon-wrapped fig appetizer that I had years ago. Sweet, savory and salty, it hit all the right notes. To me something about figs in an appetizer or dessert immediately elevates the dish, and they feel especially at home during a festive celebration.
In my festive appetizer, dried figs are wrapped in long strips of prosciutto.
They are then nestled into a schmear of chèvre and sandwiched between two circles of flaky puff pastry. The sweet fig and chèvre are nicely balanced by the cured prosciutto, and the puff pastry provides a light crispness.
I was planning to use a plain chèvre for these bites, but then I spied a honey chèvre that I knew would add a lovely additional layer of flavor. Use a honey chèvre if one is available to you. You could also use plain chèvre and add if you wish a tiny drizzle of honey.
Fig & Prosciutto Bites
Ingredients
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg
- 12 dried figs, stems removed
- 2 ounces chèvre, such as Montchèvre Goat Cheese with Honey
- 4 ounces prosciutto
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Toothpicks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Unfold the puff pastry sheet. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry just enough to have it be 1/4" thick. Cut out 3" rounds, and place the rounds on a parchment paper lined sheet. Lightly beat the egg in small dish with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the dough circles with egg wash. Bake at 400° for about 15 minutes. Tops will be browned and rounds will be really puffed up. Remove from oven. Once the puffs have cooled slightly separate each into two halves. Allow them to cool completely.
- Remove stems from figs. Slice prosciutto into long strips, about 1 inch to 1-1/2 inches wide. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around and around a fig; repeat until all 12 figs have been wrapped.
- Place about 1 teaspoon of chèvre onto a puff pastry half. Sprinkle a tiny pinch of salt over the cheese, then top it with a prosciutto-wrapped fig. Place the other puff pastry half on top and spear it through with a toothpick. Place it on a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining puff pastry circles, cheese and figs. Serve the bites immediately.
Tell me what you think—comment below!