Basil Cream Cheese Date Bites
Recipe Date:
July 13, 2016
Serving Size:
2
Cook Time:
00:20:00
Difficulty:
Easy
Measurements:
Imperial (US)
Of all the ingredients of this dish, prosciutto is the most delicate element and the most sensitive to pairings--too many tannins will render it bitter while too much sweetness will cancel out the natural sweetness of the meat. As a result, try something dry and acidic, like our Barbera or Grenaches. At the same time, dates lend themselves quite nicely to white wines, so our Old Vine Chardonnay wouldn't be a bad matchup either if that's more to your taste.
Ingredients
- 20 - 30 pitted dates
- 1 Block of cream cheese
- 4 - 5 sprigs of fresh basil
- 1 Package (10-12 slices) of prosciutto
- 1 Pinch of salt
Directions
- In a medium-sized bowl, fold together cream cheese and finely chopped fresh basil. Add pinch of salt and stir until well blended.
- Cut a slit down the side of the dates, peeling apart until they are almost flat but do not break in half.
- Spoon the cream cheese mixture into the dates. Don't worry if the dates don't close all the way around, as you'll be wrapping them later.
- Let sit in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm the cheese. In the meantime, slice the prosciutto into thin pieces (no wider than the length of the dates).
- Wrap the prosciutto around the dates. The dates and cheese should be sticky enough to hold the prosciutto in place, but, if you're having trouble, keep the bites together with a toothpick.