Warm prosciutto wrapped figs stuffed with goat cheese and glazed with Port are the perfect sweet and salty appetizer!
During the busy holiday season I am always looking for ways to simplify my party food prep without sacrificing flavour. This scrumptious prosciutto wrapped fig appetizer certainly fit the bill! Using dried figs means you can make these delectable morsels any time of the year and poaching them in Port wine hydrates the dried fruit and adds a fantastic sweet flavour. Stuffing the figs with tangy, soft goat cheese and wrapping them in prosciutto add the perfect savoury notes to these perfectly balanced sweet and salty bites!
Ingredient Notes
Dried Figs: Fresh figs can be hard to come by in my area with a short season of availability. Luckily, dried figs are widely available year-round! For this recipe I recommend using dried black mission figs. These figs are smaller than other varieties which makes them the ideal size for a bite-sized appetizer. But really, any variety of dried fig will work.
Port Wine: Poaching the dried figs in Port wine and a little balsamic vinegar adds great flavour and softens the dried fruit. Port is a fortified wine that has a sweet flavour and is a classic pairing with figs, goat cheese, and prosciutto. After poaching the figs, reduce the Port down to a syrup. Just before serving, drizzle the salty prosciutto wrapped figs with the Port reduction for a perfect balance of sweet and savoury. I typically use a tawny Port wine in this recipe.
Prosciutto: Wrapping the goat cheese stuffed figs in prosciutto adds a delicious salty savouriness to the sweet Port poached figs. It also helps to keep the goat cheese filling inside the figs! Prosciutto is a thinly sliced Italian unsmoked, dry-cured ham. The most famous prosciutto comes from the Parma region of Italy and has protected status. Prosciutto is widely available and should be easy to source from your local grocery store or deli.
If you are looking for a substitute, then try Spanish serrano ham, which is dry-cured and made in a similar style as prosciutto. You could also use thin sliced bacon, although that will add a smoky element to this dish. Be sure to use very thin cut bacon. Since bacon is raw, make sure it is fully cooked before you serve it. It will take longer to bake the figs if you choose to wrap them in bacon.
Goat Cheese: When it comes to figs, what cheese pairing is more iconic than goat cheese? Fresh goat cheese is soft and creamy with a hint of tang – this makes it the perfect foil for all these other strongly flavoured ingredients. Another option would be to stuff the figs with crumbled blue cheese. While not my personal preference, blue cheese is another classic pairing with figs and Port wine and work well in this recipe.
How to Make Prosciutto Wrapped Figs with Goat Cheese and Port
This prosciutto wrapped fig appetizer is easy to make and can be prepared ahead of time.
Poaching the Figs
Begin by poaching the figs in the Port wine. Combine the Port and balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. Add a pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Try to use a small saucepan so that the figs are mostly covered by the Port when you add them.
Add the dried figs to the saucepan and bring the Port to a simmer. Turn off the heat and then cover the saucepan with a lid. Let the figs steep for 15 minutes to soften. Remove the figs and transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to cool.
Port Reduction Glaze
While the figs are cooling, turn up the heat and bring the Port to a boil. Let the Port boil and reduce to a thick syrup. This shouldn’t take too long, about 5 to 10 minutes depending on how hard you boil it. You should end up with about 3 tablespoons of reduced Port. Set the glaze aside. You will notice that the glaze will firm up as it cools. Reheating the glaze later will make it easier to drizzle. You can also add a splash of more Port to thin out the glaze if needed.
Wrap the Figs
To wrap the figs, begin by cutting a deep slit lengthwise down one side of the figs. Gently widen the cut in the figs to create a small pocket. Stuff the figs with a teaspoon or so of the soft goat cheese. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half lengthwise. Wrap each fig with a strip of prosciutto, taking care to cover the cut side well covered. For a decorative look, I like to twist the piece of Prosciutto on the last wrap around the figs.
You can now set aside the figs for later. Cover both the wrapped figs and the glaze separately and store in the fridge to serve later.
Bake and serve the Prosciutto Wrapped Figs
To serve the prosciutto wrapped figs, preheat the oven to 400 deg F. Place the wrapped figs onto a parchment lined baking sheet, spreading them out so they aren’t touching. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the figs are hot and the prosciutto has browned lightly in spots. If the figs have been refrigerated, they may take longer to bake and warm up.
Transfer the warm figs to a platter. If the glaze has firmed up, gently rewarm it either on the stove or in the microwave. Drizzle the figs with the Port glaze and enjoy!
More Delicious Appetizers
For more appetizer recipes, here are some of my favourites:
