Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches with Sharp Cheddar and Hot Honey
Perfectly ripe peaches paired with sharp cheddar wrapped in salty prosciutto and drizzled with sweet and spicy hot honey is the perfect last minute appetizer. I made this more in the past year than I have made of any other appetizer because it’s so good and so easy to throw together (and naturally gluten free).
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For a long time, I believed that hosting a dinner party meant that you had to make a charcuterie board. The problem with charcuterie boards is if you’re serving a three course meal afterwards, there is undoubtedly going to be waste. I’m not the type of girl who wants to eat brie and sourdough on a regular day, so even if I was able to salvage some of it (food safety aside), it wouldn’t get eaten. And because the nature of charcuterie boards begs variety you’re often buying a lot more different items than you would for a prepared appetizer.
I started freeing myself of the charcuterie board expectation after seeing a reel from my instafriend, Julie Helms, and opted to make prepared appetizers instead. What I found was that I spent less time (because of course I had to make all of the dips, breads, and crackers from scratch), less money, and more of it was eaten. Though I have still fallen into the trap of panic making a charcuterie board a few times because I was concerned there wouldn’t be enough food, I find I regret doing so every time because of the waste.
I don’t quite remember how I came up with the prosciutto wrapped peaches, but it is very similar to the prosciutto wrapped melon that you’ll find on many menus when visiting Italy. The classic cured salty meat and refreshing fruit combo is hard to beat, and could not be easier to make.
Usually I like to put a slice of sharp cheddar or creamy brie along with the peach, just make sure it’s a cheese with a strong flavor. If you don’t like honey, you can also opt to drizzle with balsamic vinegar, balsamic reduction, or white balsamic vinegar.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Serves 8
Prep time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
1-2 ripe peaches
4 oz package of prosciutto (or 4 oz from the deli counter)
3-4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
For drizzling: Hot or regular honey, balsamic vinegar
To garnish: Fresh rosemary, thyme, or mint
Method:
Prep the peaches. Carefully cut the peach in half and twist to separate. Remove the pit, but if you are having trouble breaking it free, I find cutting a wedge at a time and removing it from the rest of the peach works best. Try to cut the wedges 3/4” (2 cm) thick on the skin side. You should get about 12-16 wedges per peach.
Prep the cheese. For cheese, my personal preference is Unexpected Cheddar from Trader Joe’s, but a nice sharp cheddar like Tillamook Extra Sharp white cheddar works great here too. You can also opt for a creamier option like brie or goat cheese, just make sure it has strong flavor (avoid mozarella or swiss). Do not use presliced cheese, you want something a little thicker than how they usually come. Cut a slice of cheese about 1/8” (1/3 cm) thick and the length of the peach. If you prefer, you can also skip the cheese altogether.
Assemble. Use half of a slice of prosciutto, and wrap around the cheese and peach. Repeat until you run out of one of the ingredients (usually I run out of prosciutto first). You can use a toothpick to keep everything together, but I usually just have the ends of the prosciutto underneath the peach and that keeps it together fine. Place on the serving tray, and proceed to the next step if you plan to serve immediately. Otherwise, cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Can be made up to four hours in advance.
Add the drizzle. When ready to serve, arrange on a serving platter and drizzle hot or regular honey or balsamic across. You can use whatever you have on hand, and really can’t go wrong here.
Serve immediately and keep out of direct sunlight or extreme heat to help the prosciutto not dry out.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What type of menu would you serve this with? I have used this for three different menus (as long as peaches are in season)
Peach themed dinner party
Honey themed dinner party
Can I skip the cheese? Yes, you can skip the cheese for a dairy free option.
Can I use a different type of cured meat? Your best bet would be a thinly sliced cured meat that is flexible like coppa, bresaola, or jamon. You could use a spicier variety as well.
Prosciutto wrapped cheddar and peaches with balsamic reduction drizzle.
Prosciutto Wrapped Peaches with Sharp Cheddar and Hot Honey
Perfectly ripe peaches paired with sharp cheddar wrapped in salty prosciutto and drizzled with sweet and spicy hot honey is the perfect last minute appetizer. I made this more in the past year than I have made of any other appetizer because it’s so good and so easy to throw together (and naturally gluten free).
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the peaches. Carefully cut the peach in half and twist to separate. Remove the pit, but if you are having trouble breaking it free, I find cutting a wedge at a time and removing it from the rest of the peach works best. Try to cut the wedges 3/4” (2 cm) thick on the skin side. You should get about 12-16 wedges per peach.
- Prep the cheese. Cut a slice of cheese about 1/8” (1/3 cm) thick and the length of the peach.
- Assemble. Use half of a slice of prosciutto, and wrap around the cheese and peach. Repeat until you run out of one of the ingredients. Place on the serving tray, and proceed to the next step if you plan to serve immediately. Otherwise, cover with plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator. Can be made up to four hours in advance.
- Add the drizzle. When ready to serve, arrange on a serving platter and drizzle hot or regular honey or balsamic vinegar across. You can use whatever you have on hand, and really can’t go wrong here.
- Serve immediately and keep out of direct sunlight or extreme heat to help the prosciutto not dry out.
