The sweetest, best kind of dates are Medjools. They’re large, so they are easy to fill, meaty, and chewy. Stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, they provide a perfect sweet-salty mouthful in every bite. Serve these with a crisp white wine as the ideal before-dinner tidbit.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　1/4 cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature

　　1/4 cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature

　　1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves

　　Salt and freshly ground black pepper

　　16 Medjool dates (12 ounces)

　　8 thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

　　

Special Equipment

16 toothpicks or cocktail picks

　　

Step 1

In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and basil. Season with salt and pepper.

　　

Step 2

With a knife, make a lengthwise incision in each date. Gently open the dates slightly and remove the pits. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture inside each one. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick.

　　

Step 3

Arrange the stuffed dates on a platter and serve.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.