Recipe: Prosciutto, blackberry and goat cheese appetizers

Here in the South, warm weather means it’s officially time for cookouts and tea parties. Each year, I host an outdoor brunch for my friends and family, and they always look forward to it.

They always rant and rave about the decorations, but especially the food. The menu is always simple yet elegant, with a delicious array of appetizers such as these prosciutto, blackberry and goat cheese puff pastry appetizers. Every time I make these, they’re a big hit. And for some reason, everyone thinks that this easy recipe takes several hours to prepare, but that could not be further from the truth.

To save time, I used a premade puff pastry dough and frozen Oregon blackberries. I often use them in my recipes because they are the perfect combination of sweet and juicy.

Besides being super tasty, blackberries are extremely nutritious and contain antioxidants that work to fight free radical damage in the body.

Serves: 12

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Ingredients

• 1½ cups frozen Oregon Blackberries, thawed
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 4 cups arugula
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces goat cheese
• 12 slices prosciutto
• 1 egg, beaten
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside. To make the blackberry sauce, add 1½ cups of thawed blackberries and 2 tablespoons of honey to a blender. Blend until smooth and transfer to a small bowl. Toss arugula in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle about double the original size. Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut dough into squares. To make the bundles, spread about 1 tablespoon of the blackberry sauce in the middle of the square, followed by a small serving of arugula, a slice of prosciutto and a serving of goat cheese. Lift two opposite corners of the puff pastry squares, wrap them around the arugula and press to seal. Brush puff pastry with egg wash. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden and puffed. Serve immediately. Use any remaining blackberry sauce for dipping. Enjoy.

Andrea Mathis is a registered dietitian and owner of Beautiful Eats & Things. For more great recipes, visit beautifuleatsandthings.com. This story originally appeared in Alabama Living magazine and on Alabama News Center.