If you’re not eating or cooking with dates, please start. Dates are a delicious treat as is but they are also a versatile ingredient in both sweet and savory dishes. Add them to oatmeal, cookies, cakes, and breads. Grill them with chicken, blend them in smoothies, or roast them with vegetables. Here we are making an easy, 4-ingredient snack, appetizer or dessert by stuffing them with cheese and roasting them in the oven until the cheese melts and the dates caramelize. This is another delicious recipe from The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners by Elena Paravantes, RDN.
Sweet and Savory Stuffed Dates with Parmesan and Feta Cheese
Ingredients
1 ounce feta cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
12 dried dates, pitted
1/2 tablespoon raw pine nuts
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
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Directions
- Preheat the over to 425oF. Line a small baking pan with parchment paper.
- Cut the feta and Parmesan into 12 small thin sticks, each about 3/4 inch long and 1/4 inch thick.
- Use a sharp knife to cut a small slit lengthwise into each date. Insert a piece of the Parmesan followed by a piece of the feta, and then press 2-3 pine nuts slightly into the feta.
- Transfer the dates to the prepared baking pan and place in the over to roast for 10 minutes. (the edges of the dates should begin to brown.)
- Remove the dates from the oven and drizzle a few drops of the olive oil over each date. Serve promptly. (These do not store well and are best enjoyed fresh.)
Note: I used walnuts in place of pine nuts and I highly recommend using Medjool dates which are large, soft, sweet and chewy.
Recipe from Elena Paravantes, RDN, The Mediterranean Diet Cookbook for Beginners at https://www.olivetomato.com/about/
Judymatusky.com
Judy Matusky, RDN, LDN 