PROSCIUTTO, ASIAN PEAR, AND DATE CANAPES WITH MINT

Prosciutto, Asian Pear, and Date Canapes with Mint image

Yield Makes about 40 canapés

Number Of Ingredients 5

2 medium Asian pears (about 1 pound total)
20 pitted dates (preferably Medjool)
7 tablespoons reduced-fat cream cheese such as Neufchâtel (about 3 1/2 ounces)
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto
40 small fresh mint leaves

Steps:

On a cutting board hold 1 Asian pear, stem side up, and cut down through pear just to right of stem, cutting off largest piece of fruit possible and avoiding core. Turn pear so cut side faces you and cut again in same manner. Cut off remaining 2 sides of pear in same manner and discard core. Put 1 piece, cut side down, on cutting board and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut remaining pieces of pear in same manner. Repeat procedure with remaining pear. You should have about forty 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Halve each date lengthwise and fill indentation in each half with 1/2 teaspoon cream cheese. Cut prosciutto into 3- by 3/4-inch strips. Top a pear slice with a mint leaf and top mint leaf with a date half, filling side down. Fold a piece of prosciutto lengthwise in half and wrap crosswise over pear and date, tucking ends underneath. Make more canapés in same manner.