Prosciutto wrapped appetizers are 12 crisp garlic-rubbed toasts spread with fresh tomato and topped with folded prosciutto and capers, ready in about 25 minutes. They feed 6 as a starter and come together fast when guests are about to arrive.
Why This Recipe Works
Brushing the bread with olive oil before it goes in the oven gives you toasts that crisp all the way through. A dry slice turns tough, while an oiled one turns golden and snaps when you bite it. The crisp crust also holds up under the tomato.
Rubbing a cut garlic clove over the warm toast gives you a light garlic flavor without any raw bite. The rough surface of the toast works like a grater and takes just enough from the clove. Do it while the bread is still warm, because that is when it picks up the most.
Grating the tomatoes and salting them gives you a fresh topping that spreads like a sauce. The salt pulls out extra water, so you drain it off before spooning. That keeps the toast from going soggy before you serve it.
Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizers Ingredients
- 1 rustic loaf or baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 2 ripe tomatoes, grated or finely crushed
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons capers, drained
- Black pepper, to taste
- Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
How To Make Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizers
Toast the bread
- Heat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) so it is hot when the bread goes in.
- Oil and bake: Lay the 12 slices of rustic loaf or baguette on a baking sheet and brush one side of each with the olive oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and crisp.
- Rub with garlic: While the toasts are still warm, rub one side of each lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove. Warm bread soaks up the flavor best.
Prepare the tomato
- Season the tomato: Grate the 2 ripe tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater, or crush them finely, then stir in the salt. The salt draws out water, so drain off the extra juice before you use it.
Top and serve
- Spread the tomato: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the drained tomato onto each toast and spread it to the edges.
- Add the prosciutto: Fold or wrap a slice of prosciutto over the tomato on each toast. Loose folds look better than flat layers.
- Finish: Scatter the capers over the top, add a little black pepper, and sprinkle on the basil or parsley if you like. Serve right away so the toasts stay crisp.
Recipe Tips
- Drain the tomato well: Extra juice is the main reason these toasts go soft. Press the grated tomato in a sieve for a minute before you spoon it on.
- Assemble at the last minute: Bake the toasts ahead if you like, but add the tomato only when guests are about to eat. The crunch fades fast once it is topped.
- Go easy on the salt: Prosciutto and capers are both salty. Keep to the small pinch in the tomato and taste before you add more.
- Pick ripe tomatoes: The tomato is the main flavor here, so use fruit that smells sweet at the stem. Pale, hard tomatoes taste flat.
What To Serve With Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizers
Serve these on a platter with a bowl of olives and a glass of chilled sparkling wine or a light white. A few slices of cheese such as pecorino or fresh mozzarella also fit an Italian antipasto board.
How To Store
- Fridge: Keep the toasts, tomato and prosciutto in separate containers for up to 2 days, since topped toasts turn soggy within an hour.
- Make ahead: Bake and garlic-rub the toasts up to a day ahead and store them airtight at room temperature. Re-crisp them in a 400°F (200°C) oven for 2 to 3 minutes before topping.
- Freezer: Freezing is not a good fit for the topped toasts. The tomato turns watery and the bread loses its crunch.
FAQs
Can I make prosciutto wrapped appetizers ahead of time?
You can prepare the parts ahead, but not the finished toasts. Bake the bread a day early and drain the tomato the same morning, then top everything just before serving so the toasts stay crisp.
What can I use instead of fresh tomatoes?
Good canned crushed tomatoes, drained well, work when fresh ones are pale or out of season. Stir in the same pinch of salt and drain off the liquid before spooning.
Are these appetizers gluten free?
Not as written, because the base is a wheat loaf or baguette. Use a gluten free bread and check the label on the prosciutto, since the topping is otherwise naturally gluten free.
Why did my toasts get soggy?
Too much tomato juice is the usual cause. Drain the grated tomato well and top the toasts right before you serve them.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving (1 of 6), worked out from the ingredients.
- Calories: about 210 kcal
- Total Fat: 9g
- Total Carbohydrate: 22g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 9g
Prosciutto Wrapped Appetizers
6
servings15
minutes10
minutes25
minutesCrisp garlic toasts spread with fresh grated tomato and topped with folded prosciutto and capers. A quick starter that makes 12 pieces and serves 6.
Ingredients
1 rustic loaf or baguette, sliced 1/2 inch thick (12 slices)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, halved
2 ripe tomatoes, grated or finely crushed
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
6 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
2 tablespoons capers, drained
Black pepper, to taste
Fresh basil or parsley, for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Heat the oven: Set the oven to 400°F (200°C) so it is hot when the bread goes in.
- Oil and bake: Lay the 12 slices of rustic loaf or baguette on a baking sheet and brush one side of each with the olive oil. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until they are golden and crisp.
- Rub with garlic: While the toasts are still warm, rub one side of each lightly with the cut side of the garlic clove. Warm bread soaks up the flavor best.
- Season the tomato: Grate the 2 ripe tomatoes on the large holes of a box grater, or crush them finely, then stir in the salt. The salt draws out water, so drain off the extra juice before you use it.
- Spread the tomato: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the drained tomato onto each toast and spread it to the edges.
- Add the prosciutto: Fold or wrap a slice of prosciutto over the tomato on each toast. Loose folds look better than flat layers.
- Finish: Scatter the capers over the top, add a little black pepper, and sprinkle on the basil or parsley if you like. Serve right away so the toasts stay crisp.
