Italians have been pairing melon and prosciutto for a long time and I have to say that it is a delicious idea. It's often found in the form of prosciutto wrapped around a wedge of cantaloupe. While that's lovely, I find it hard to cut through the prosciutto without smushing the cantaloupe. So, I devised Cantaloupe Salad with Prosciutto & Mozzarella to be eaten in bite-sized bits. I also added a couple of extra ingredients to increase the deliciousness. It’s a beautiful, unexpected summer salad.

PREP TIME: 20 minutes | SERVINGS: 6

1 cantaloupe

1 ball fresh mozzarella

3-4 slices prosciutto

6 large basil leaves

1/3 cup Marcona almonds

Olive oil and balsamic vinegar to drizzle

Cut the cantaloupe in half and remove the seeds. Using a small cookie scoop or a melon baller, scoop out the melon. Place the melon balls on a platter.

 

Using your hands, pull pieces of mozzarella cheese off the ball of cheese. Aim for bite-size pieces. Place them evenly on the cantaloupe. Do the same with the prosciutto.

 

Chop the Marcona almonds into small bits and scatter across the salad.

 

Stack the basil leaves, then roll them lengthwise. Cut across horizontally, making basil ribbons. Sprinkle across the salad.

 

Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to taste.

 

Bon Appétit!

Tammy Circeo, Freelance Recipe Writer