Blind Date Appetizer

Your guests will have fun guessing the ingredients of the Blind Date Appetizer.  The sweet, salty and nutty combination of these little gems produces rave reviews. Simple, easy to assemble and unique--be sure to have extra copies of the recipe on hand. 

24 pecan halves

24 large pitted dates

2 ounce parmigiano-reggiano cheese

4 ounce sliced prosciutto

Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place pecans on a baking sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until fragrant.  Cool.

2. Set oven to 450 degrees.  Make a slit along top of each date.  Cut the parmigiano-reggiano cheese into thin slivers.  Stuff a pecan half and sliver of cheese into each date.  Quarter prosciutto slices lengthwise.  Wrap each date with a strip of proscioutto.

3. Place dates on a baking sheet; bake 6 minutes, or until proscioutto is crisp and cheese softens.  Transfer dates to a plate and finish with a fresh pepper.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.