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Snack & Appetizers

Parmesan, Speck and Apple Baskets

Parmesan, Speck and Apple Baskets: a quick, crunchy appetizer with bold flavor, filled with smoky speck, fresh apple and smooth cream cheese.
Recipe Parmesan, Speck and Apple Baskets
  • Difficulty Medium
  • Preparation 20 minutes
  • Cooking 10 minutes
  • Servings for 6-8 people

Let yourself be won over by the crunch and surprising elegance of Parmesan Baskets with Speck, Apple and Cream Cheese, a real treat for any occasion when you want to serve a tasty baked appetizer that will impress your guests. This Parmesan baskets recipe pairs the rich aroma of Parmigiano (or Grana Padano, if you prefer), melted and shaped into golden, crumbly baskets, with the smoky, savory note of speck, a smoked cured ham from South Tyrol, for a truly unique combination of flavors in every bite.

Making these savory aperitivo baskets starts with grated Parmigiano, spread on parchment paper and melted in the oven until it turns into crisp golden shells. Each basket then holds a fresh, creamy filling: this crispy filled baskets recipe combines the smoothness of cream cheese flavored with chives, the slightly tart sweetness of crisp diced apple and the intense, fragrant note of thinly sliced speck. A final touch of chopped walnuts adds a rich, satisfying texture and brings out the balance of sweet and savory in every bite.

Ideal for adding a refined touch to your holiday menus, as a Parmesan finger food or as an apple and speck appetizer that leaves a lasting impression, these Parmesan and speck baskets are also very easy to customize: you can replace the speck with prosciutto crudo, change the type of cream cheese or add other nuts. Looking for more quick and original ideas? Also try the Speck, Apple and Ricotta Millefeuille, the tasty Savory Parmigiano Cookies, or treat yourself to the Parmesan Puff Pastry Snowflakes for an unforgettable aperitivo. Don’t wait: discover how to make crispy Parmesan baskets in just a few minutes with this quick speck and apple recipe and let your creativity in the kitchen inspire you.

Ingredients for 6-8 people

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Method

  1. To make the Parmesan baskets, start with the baskets themselves: heat a nonstick pan and, using an 8-10 cm (3-4 inch) round cutter, form a disk of grated cheese inside the pan. Remove the cutter right away and let the cheese melt and start to turn golden.
    Crisp Parmesan baskets
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 1
  2. Using a spatula, flip the cheese crisp over and let it brown on the other side for a few seconds. Once it’s ready, turn a muffin mold upside down and lay the still-hot crisp over it, shaping it gently (careful, it’s extremely hot) into a basket (you can also use another muffin mold and press the crisp down with it).
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 2
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 3
  3. Once all the baskets are ready, move on to the “filling”. Combine the cream cheese with a little chives and spoon it into a piping bag. Dice the apples and break the walnuts into small pieces.
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 4
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 5
  4. Assemble the baskets: fill each Grana Padano basket with a spoonful of cream cheese, a few apple slices, strips of crispy speck and a sprinkle of toasted walnuts.
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 6
    Making Parmesan, speck and apple baskets, photo 7
  5. All that’s left is to serve your Parmesan, Speck, Apple and Walnut Baskets. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!
    Parmesan baskets with speck, apple and walnuts

Variations and Alternatives

If you like, you can replace the speck with thinly sliced prosciutto crudo. Likewise, you can use different kinds of cheese, even trying stracciatella di burrata (the creamy center of burrata).

Tips

If you’d like a sweeter version, you can add a little honey to the cream cheese. You can also add or customize the other ingredients, such as raisins or dried figs, for a greater variety of flavors.

Storage

The Grana baskets are best eaten fresh, but you can prepare the ingredients separately and assemble them shortly before serving. Store the Grana Padano in a cool, dry place, and keep the speck and the cream cheese in the refrigerator until ready to use.

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