The Addictive Prosciutto Sandwich We're Packing All Summer Long

As Food52 gets older (and wiser), and our archive of recipes grows, we’re making the effort to revisit some good-as-gold recipes. Today, check out a sweet, salty sandwich that has us running for nectarines.

We’ve sung the praises of prosciutto-wrapped melon, a combo so sweet and salty and simple it’s a wonder we don’t eat it for dinner every night. But we’d be remiss to pigeonhole prosciutto. It wants to pair up with all sorts of juicy summer fruits, like the blushing nectarines in community member RaquelG’s dreamy panini.

Inspired by the Italian primi piatti, RaquelG sandwiched nectarines and prosciutto between slices of buttery rosemary focaccia.

I chose to add fontina to this recipe simply because I can't imagine a 'ham' sandwich without cheese, and it melts SO beautifully. And the infusion of rosemary in the bread just brings it all together; the herbal woodiness is divine with stone fruit. Salty, sweet, crispy, melty goodness!

The rich pairings might seem overwhelming, but RaquelG balances a fantastic contrast of textures and flavors. The lightly caramelized nectarines almost melt under the press, while the focaccia gets crispy and charred. The salty ham and cheese add depth, and a handful of peppery arugula packs a crunchy punch.

Don’t have a panini press? Amanda and Merrill have a solution: “You can use a cast iron pan," they write, "and press the sandwich with another heavy pan, flipping it halfway through to brown both sides."

And don’t feel limited to nectarines. This panini would taste just as good with plums, pears, pineapple, or maybe even melon.

What's your favorite way to eat prosciutto? Share in the comments below!