The Effortless Sweet-And-Savory Appetizer That's Perfect For Entertaining

Feeding guests doesn't have to be stressful as long as you keep things simple. As joyful as it'd be to lavish your friends with $400 worth of caviar and its assorted fineries, the truth is, you can have just as fancy of a time by serving a two-ingredient appetizer. That's because all you need to do is combine slices of juicy melon with thin slices of cured prosciutto, and you've got an appetizer that's salty, sweet, and juicy — all in one bite.

Granted, this is a classic dish; the concept of mixing moist and chilled foods with dried ones (such as prosciutto) is originally thought to have come from ancient Roman times. But combining melon and prosciutto should prove to you that two simple ingredients are enough to feed your guests without worry. And if you want to add your own twist, you can go ahead and put Tajín on it, drizzle hot honey on top, or add anything else to give the two-ingredient dish its own personality. Plus, you can also change up the type of melon, if you so desire, as honeydew can be interchanged with the usual cantaloupe.

If you have a few extra ingredients, you can turn the basic prosciutto-and-melon idea into a salad that's nearly as simple. All you need to do is add a bed of peppery arugula and fresh mozzarella for a light starter salad or entrée that can be the centerpiece for an easy meal. Dress it with a sweet balsamic glaze using just two ingredients, and you're good to go. If you feel like something slightly more lively, you can also scatter fresh mint leaves in as well, for a sharp layer of flavor in each forkful. 

For a sweet-and-savory appetizer, it's pretty much as simple as combining the prosciutto and melon in an easy-to-eat format. You can prepare bite-sized skewers on toothpicks, or go a different route by wrapping the paper-thin slices of meat around your lemon wedges. You can also use a melon baller to scoop out perfect spheres and place them evenly on a plate along with a matching amount of prosciutto. None of this is too labor intensive, which means if company suddenly shows up, you don't need to make a hectic grocery store run — just start everyone off with this breezy yet elegant appetizer, and look good while you're doing it.