Let's talk dates. At a very base level, they’re sweet. The sugar content in dates is extremely high, and that sugar gets more and more intense as dates dry and moisture leaves the fruit. But dates aren’t dried or dehydrated completely, even though the wrinkled appearance might lead you to believe they are. They can be eaten anywhere from fresh to partially dehydrated. If you had to compare a date to another fruit, it would essentially be comparable to a bigger, jammier, more caramel-y raisin.
So why wrap these sweeties in meat? I'll tell you. In Italian, prosciutto simply translates to “ham.” There is prosciutto crudo, a raw, cured ham, and prosciutto cotto, or cooked ham. But this thinly sliced, dry aged ham, also has some sweetness. The combination of sweet dates, salty prosciutto, and the creme de la creme - gorgonzola cheese - create a flavor explosion you won't be able to stop talking about.
What are we waiting for? Let's make some!
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Cut each date in half and fill with cheese. Sprinkle pepper on top of the cheese. Put halves back together.
Cut prosciutto in half, length-wise, and roll each date with prosciutto.
Place dates on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, until prosciutto crisps. Serve warm and enjoy!
Pro tip: leave the prosciutto in the fridge until you’re ready to roll to make it easier to work with.
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