Prosciutto-Wrapped Melon Bites

Cold melon and savory prosciutto make easy, tidy bites for passing around; choose ripe cantaloupe or use honeydew as its full replacement.

10 min

6 people

Prosciutto-wrapped cantaloupe bites sit in one layer with fresh mint and cracked pepper.

Ingredients

8 oz thinly sliced prosciutto (about 12 slices)

1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

1/4 tsp coarsely cracked black pepper

24 wooden cocktail picks

Equipment

Cutting board · Small sharp knife · Spoon · Paper towels · Shallow lidded platter · Insulated carrier with cold pack

Keep the bites neat

Choose one melon type and cut similarly sized pieces; a single strip per piece holds without squeezing the fruit.

Travel cold

Assemble and cover the platter, then add mint and pepper at the destination just before guests arrive.

Select and cut the melon

01. Choose one chilled, heavy cantaloupe with a sweet blossom-end aroma and slight give; use one ripe honeydew as a full replacement, checking for creamy pale rind and sweet aroma.

02. Rinse and dry the selected melon's rind before cutting so the knife does not carry dirt onto the flesh.

03. Seed and peel that melon, then cut its flesh into 24 similar 1-by-2-inch pieces.

Wrap and secure

04. Cut each prosciutto slice lengthwise into two strips; keep them cool so they remain easy to wrap.

05. Wrap one strip around each piece with the seam underneath, keeping the wrap snug without crushing the fruit.

06. Secure each overlap with a wooden cocktail pick, stopping before the pick protrudes through the far side.

Arrange and finish

07. Arrange bites in one layer with picks easy to reach; cover and carry them in an insulated carrier with a cold pack.

08. Add mint and a light dusting of cracked pepper just before serving, returning the platter to the refrigerator if it must wait.