These little gems are what I like to think of as new-wave pigs in a blanket. The ham and fruit are a perfect balance of salty and sweet, and a sip of champagne complements the flavors perfectly.

Ingredients

　　40 small fresh Mission figs

　　4 ounces manchego cheese or blue cheese

　　20 slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise

　　1/3 cup honey

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　Preheat the oven to 400°F. Make a small slit in the side of each fig and stuff a raisin-size piece of cheese in the opening. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each fig to enclose it in a little cocoon. Stand the figs on a sheet pan. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes so the prosciutto melts slightly and forms a skin around the figs. Drizzle with honey and season with lots of ground black pepper. These are terrific hot or at room temp.

　　Reprinted with permission from Tyler Florence's Real Kitchen by Tyler Florence. © 2003 Clarkson Potter