Prep Time: 30 min.
If you love an easy recipe with only a few ingredients, it's hard to beat the classic Italian staple of prosciutto and melon.
With sweet, juicy cantaloupe shaped into carrots and thinly sliced cured ham roses, this classic Summer appetizer got the perfect Spring makeover.
Welcome your guests with these tasty prosciutto melon skewers as a festive starter, or serve them as a delightful side dish for Easter lunch (or any time of the year).
If you are short on time, make this dish in advance and store it in the fridge until 5-10 minutes before serving.
Honeydew or Galia would be tasty alternatives to cantaloupe. You can even replace the cucumber with kiwi or avocado and swap the fresh mint for basil leaves.
Ingredients
- 1 cucumber
- 1 cantaloupe
- 70 gram prosciutto (2-3 ounces)
- mint leaves
- olive oil
- balsamic glaze
- sea salt
- skewers
- large petal-shaped cookie cutter
- medium flower-shaped cookie cutter
- platter (20 cm / 7.5 inches)
Instructions
1. Slice the cantaloupe about 1 cm thick (0.4 inches).
2. Use the petal-shaped cookie cutter to shape the 'carrot' pieces.
3. Now slice a cucumber in 1 cm thick (0.4 inch pieces).
4. Cut out the cucumber shapes with the flower-shaped cutter.
5. With the rounded part of the petal cutter, remove one of the flower petals and place it on top of the melon carrot.
6. Skewer the two parts together.
7. Carefully lift the prosciutto ham pieces from one another so they are still intact.
8. Fold each piece over lengthwise twice.
9. Cut the long piece of prosciutto in half.
10. Fold and twist each half into a rose.
11. Make one larger rose without cutting the prosciutto in half for the slightly larger center rose.
12. Place a mint leaf in each prosciutto rose.
13. Arrange the melon and cucumber carrots on a platter (my platter was about 20 cm wide/ 8 inches).
14. Place the large prosciutto rose in the center and the smaller rosettes between each carrot.
15. Drizzle with olive oil, balsamic glaze, and sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
16. Serve.
Notes
The skewers and cookie cutters are linked in my Shop.
To make an easy melon and prosciutto salad, arrange a few handfuls of crispy arugula on a serving platter, place the melon carrots and prosciutto roses on top, as well as either bocconcini or burrata. Top with a delicious vinaigrette of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt and serve.
