Recipe: Baked Chevre and Prosciutto

BAKED CHEVRE AND PROSCIUTTO

"Tiny pillows of marinated goat cheese are wrapped in a skin of prosciutto and baked, which is when the alchemy begins. The ch vre gets puffy; its belly goes pudgy. In contrast, the prosciutto thins, stiffens, and dries, becoming a lacquered shell that cracks tinnily between the teeth. Although it is perfectly fine to assemble the ingredients ahead, don't let the bundles linger after baking or the contrasts will diminish as they sit."

1 log (8 ounces) fresh chevre cheese
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic, jarred or fresh
1 ounce prosciutto, cut into 8 paper-thin slices

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the cheese in 8 rounds. Combine the oil and garlic, and dip the cheese into the mixture, turning the rounds to coat them evenly. Wrap each round of cheese with a slice of prosciutto and place on a sheet pan.

Bake for 5 minutes, until the prosciutto is slightly crisp and the cheese is warm.

Makes 6 to 8 servings
Source: Almost From Scratch by Andrew Schloss