Nautical Knot Appetizer (Printable)

A chewy, braided mix of prosciutto and string cheese, ideal for snacking or as a pizza topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dairy & Cured Meats

01 - 8 sticks string cheese (mozzarella or similar, part-skim preferred, approx. 1 oz each)
02 - 8 slices prosciutto (thinly sliced, approx. 10 g each)

# Directions:

01 - Lay a slice of prosciutto flat on a clean surface. Place a string cheese stick at one end and roll tightly until fully wrapped. Repeat for all sticks.
02 - Take two prosciutto-wrapped sticks and braid them gently from one end, twisting carefully to prevent tearing. Continue braiding pairs until all are braided.
03 - For a thicker braided rope, braid three wrapped sticks together instead of two.
04 - Arrange braided ropes around the perimeter of a pizza or flatbread before baking, or serve as a stand-alone appetizer with dipping sauces.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes barely fifteen minutes and requires no cooking skill, just patience and a gentle touch with your hands.
  • The contrast between salty, crispy prosciutto and melted, chewy cheese creates an addictive bite that keeps people reaching for more.
  • It's naturally gluten-free and low-carb, so it works for almost any diet restriction without feeling like you're serving "special" food.
02 -
  • Cold cheese braids together smoothly, but room-temperature cheese gets soft and slippery—if yours starts to feel warm, pop the whole thing in the fridge for five minutes.
  • Prosciutto tears easily if you rush it or if your hands are too aggressive, so move deliberately and let the cheese guide you rather than forcing the braid.
03 -
  • If you're making these ahead, braid them, wrap them in parchment, and refrigerate for up to a day—they'll hold their shape better and come together more easily than room-temperature ones.
  • Use your eyes and your intuition more than the clock; every oven runs different, and you want the prosciutto just past soft, not crispy-fragile, so check them at eight minutes.
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