Italian Stuffed Dates

Growing up in Emily’s home, the Eve of Christmas Eve was all about cooking, and one of the appetizers made each year was stuffed dates. Those dates were always stuffed with cream cheese and sometimes wrapped in bacon before being baked.  

Our stuffed date repertoire was expanded on a trip to Italy when served nut and herb stuffed dates. This Mediterranean take on the usual decadent American appetizer was eye opening! 

While cream cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon are amazing, they are quite heavy! 

The bright freshness and the perfect balance of sweet, savory, salty flavors, with a hit acid give these Italian stuffed dates a light and refreshing flavor! We had to ask just what were in these little morsels of deliciousness. Turns out not a lot! Just a few ingredients are needed to make these. 

Ingredients in Stuffed Dates

Dates. Of course, dates are the base of this quick appetizer. So many cookbooks and online sources tout the magic of Medjool dates. We’re not quite sure why that is (marketing, perhaps?), but really any good fresh date will work! Don’t be caught up on what kind of date to use – we haven’t tried a date yet that we didn’t like. Just make sure your dates are plump and not withered or dry looking. 

Pistachios. Yes, pistachios were in those magical Italian stuffed dates! We’ve since also had stuffed dates with walnuts. Any nut will work. Most recipes we’ve seen call for unroasted, unsalted nuts. To be honest, it’s not necessary to search those out. We created this recipe with regular roasted, salted pistachios! If using unsalted nuts, be sure to taste your filling mixture for salt and adjust as needed. 

Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Just a touch of Olive Oil is used to bind the filling together. We’re especially fond of Masalina Ranch Olive Oil – an award winning California olive oil on SpiceTopia’s shelves. 

Prosciutto. Italy is famous for their prosciutto, and although bacon and prosciutto are both fatty pork, somehow prosciutto just somehow seems lighter and more refined. Perhaps, it is the wafer thin cut of prosciutto that makes it seem better for you than bacon! 

If you can’t find Italian prosciutto (or it isn’t in your budget), feel free to look for American prosciutto which is also light and delicious! This recipe calls for 12 slices of prosciutto which is about 4 ounces. 

Seasonings. 

Sumac. Sumac’s gorgeous maroon color makes it stand out in any spice collection, but it’s a spice often overlooked in American recipes. Sumac’s earthy and tart flavor makes it a popular substitute for lemon, especially when the juiciness of lemon is not needed. Used throughout Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Cuisines, Sumac adds just a touch of acid to this recipe which helps to balance out the sweetness and richness of the dates and prosciutto. 

Learn more about this interesting spice in our Story of Sumac article. 

Salt. As mentioned above, if using unsalted pistachios, be sure to taste the filling for seasoning as you may need to add more salt. If your filling needs salt, start with just a ¼ of a teaspoon of salt and gradually increase from there.  

Technique or How to Make Stuffed Dates

These Mediterranean Stuffed Dates are super easy to make, but attention to just a few details are needed. 

Pitting Dates. 

If your dates still have pits, be sure to cut the date length-wise until your knife hits the pit. Then remove the pit and finish cutting your date in half. 

Toast the nuts. 

Toasting nuts just maximizes the flavors of nuts. Taking a few extra minutes to do this will reward you beyond the effort put into doing it. 

How to Toast Nuts

• Place nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat. 
• Stir or shake the nuts every minute or so. 
• Toast until the aroma of the nuts is released. This should be about 3 -7 minutes. 
• Be sure to keep a close eye on the nuts to prevent burning. A burnt nut is a bitter nut! 

That’s it. Easy Peasy! 

Whether you are looking for the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet or you just love the bright and fresh flavors of this part of the world, this stuffed date recipe fits the bill! 

Let’s get cooking!