Prosciutto-wrapped Galia melon, August 2013
My last blog post was crispy prosciutto-wrapped asparagus, a fun finger food. Here’s another prosciutto-wrapped food: melon. This delicious and elegant summer appetizer showcases melons, now in season. The salty-sweet combination is an Italian classic that won’t spoil your appetite for dinner.
For this recipe you can use easy-to-find cantaloupe or honeydew melon. However, if you can find Galia melon, it’s a real treat. Galia melon has the sweetness of cantaloupe and the color of honeydew. Its yellow-green is pretty with the pink prosciutto. The Galia variety was developed in Israel in the early 1970s, but I’ve only just noticed the variety in local grocery stores.
The recipe here describes an appetizer served on plates with a knife and fork. You could also wrap an uncut wedge with an uncut slice of prosciutto. Or to serve as finger food, wrap bite-sized pieces of melon with smaller strips of prosciutto and insert party picks.
A delicious, high-quality prosciutto (or “speck Americano”) is La Quercia. Check their Locator for a retailer near you.
| Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon | Print |
- 1/4 ripe Galia melon (or cantaloupe or honeydew)
- 3 ounces chilled prosciutto (it’s easiest to handle when chilled)
- Halve melon the long way and scoop out seeds. Slice into four 1 1/4-inch wide wedges. Trim off rind and make two cuts the short way across each wedge to yield three pieces per wedge.
- Halve each slice of prosciutto the long way so you have two thin strips from each slice. The slices are separated by sheets of waxy paper, so you’ll need to halve each piece separately.
- Wrap each piece of melon with a slice of prosciutto. Place on plates, three pieces to a plate, and serve cold very soon after assembling. Serve with knives and forks; the pieces are larger than bite-size and tend to slide around on the plate.
Shared at:
- Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free Slightly Indulgent Tuesday
- The Gluten-Free Homemaker Gluten-Free Wednesdays
- Poor and Gluten-Free Waste Not Want Not Wednesday
Get Wrapped Up In These Classic
[…] finger food, wrap bite-sized pieces of melon with smaller strips of prosciutto a […]
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Can I make prosciutto wrapped melon the night before?
Kathleen, you need to wrap the melon pieces at the very last minute before serving, since the prosciutto gets mushy and weird in a very short time.
[…] 19. Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon This is a classic and fancy appetizer that is Paleo friendly because both of the main ingredients used are Paleo foods. Melon is one of the most Primal and Paleo foods imaginable because they’ve definitely been around in some form for thousands of years. They are enjoyed around the world by all homo sapiens, so they have a sort of universal appeal. Wrapping them up in prosciutto might not be a part of many diet programs out there, but on Paleo it’s a go. Prosciutto is too fatty for many dieters, but Paleo isn’t a low-fat diet. […]
[…] Prosciutto Wrapped Melon This sweeter than average combo requires no cooking. Pick your favorite melon, be it: watermelon, cantaloupe or honeydew, or even peaches! Then simply encase them in preservative free prosciutto. This great finger food will give you a juicy kick but with a salty snap. […]
Paleo Recipes, thanks for linking to my post! Readers, check out the post for other snack ideas.
This is one of our favorite “salads” during cantaloupe season HOWEVER! We found out the hard way that this dish does not hold at all. You have to eat it soon after making it! My daughter tried to make some and put it in the fridge for the next day and the prosciutto soaks up the melon juices and turns to slime. Expensive slime. We had to throw the whole tray away.
You are so right, Andi, on both counts–it’s crazy good but doesn’t keep. I noticed that even in the short time between preparation and serving that the prosciutto begins to get soft. So these should be served right away, and if there needs to be a few short moments between assembly and serving, make sure to chill well. Thanks for stopping by and commenting!