This insanely umami side dish is simple yet sumptuous, and it’s perfect for snacking, parties, family dinner or as a side dish for special family gatherings. And it’s so quick and easy… just gather up a bunch of baby Yukon Gold potatoes, smash them with a kitchen mallet so that they are slightly broken and a little bit flattened, to better soak up all the luscious creamy cheesy umami sauce, and then wrap each one in strips of Prosciutto.
We then lower each wrapped potato into a baking dish which is half filled with our already prepared and simmered sauce cream, caramelized chopped shallots or sweet onions, Gruyere or Romano or Cheddar, butter, garlic, and a few of our favorite spices. You will have a mini feast that everyone will crave!
Ingredients…
2 pounds Baby Yukon Gold or Baby Dutch Yellow potatoes
2 cups shredded cheese (we usually use half Gruyere and half English Cheddar… and sometimes swap the Cheddar with smoked Provolone or Romano cheese)
2 cups cream
2 ounces butter (we use unsalted)
1 very large shallot or a medium sweet onion, minced
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
6 ounces Prosciutto, which is about 16 thin slices
2 tablespoon chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon of your favorite spices, we like oregano or tarragon or Za’atar
Prep Work…
Using a kitchen mallet, smack each potato a couple times until they are slightly broken and a little bit flattened. Sprinkle a little pinch of salt over wherever the skin is broken.
Spread out each thin slice of Prosciutto one by one and tear it in half, length ways. Tightly wrap each potato with a half slice and when finished, set them all aside.
Cooking…
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a 12 inch saute pan, melt the butter and on low to medium heat, saute the shallot until translucent and slightly caramelized.
Add the garlic and sauté until aromatic, about two minutes.
Add the cream and simmer very gently until just starting to bubble. Now add your spices, stirring in well.
Add all the cheese and heat until melted, it just takes 1 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for a moment.
Using a small baking dish, either 12 inches by 12 inches by 1 inch or a glass Pyrex dish 12 inches by 8 inches by 2 inches, add all the cheesy creamy sauce to the pan, it should be about half full. Lower each of the potatoes wrapped with Prosciutto into the pan until the pan is completely full. (The sauce should not fully cover the potatoes, they should be only 2/3 covered. You may need to remove a half cup or so of sauce if there are not enough potatoes to fill the dish.)
Bake for 45 minutes until the potatoes are creamy and the Prosciutto is toasty and aromatic. Allow to cool for a few minutes, sprinkle on the chives and serve. Enjoy!
