Recipe: Basil pesto mozzarella melon sticks + video

In the video underneath, I will teach you how to make Basil pesto mozzarella melon sticks. I was inspired to make these after trying the Prosciutto & melon dish at Jamie's Italian, located in the Markthal, Rotterdam. The plating looked amazing in the restaurant, but I wanted to eat the same dish in a faster and easier way at home, so I came up with this. It is really easy to make and it will surprise your dinner guests, even if you have zero cooking skills. You don't have the ambiance and fanciness of a restaurant, but the flavors are almost the same.

It is also a good recipe to pass on to your single guy friends. The cute colors on the plate and the different textures and flavors (the softness and creaminess of the mozzarella cheese, the salty and thinly sliced prosciutto ham, and the sweet cantaloupe melon blocks) should make any girl melt. Be careful of the dripping basil-pesto though, but it can be a good excuse, to pick up a napkin to wipe it off for the other person. It is a gentle gesture and it is a good way to get more body contact in a non-intrusive way.   

What you need for the basil pesto mozzarella melon sticks

- basil pesto. You can buy this at the store or try to make one yourself

- mini-mozzarella balls

- 1/4 of a cantaloupe melon, cut in blocks. I was lucky to find the perfect cantaloupe melon. It was firm, but melted when you bit into it. It also had exactly the right sweetness, not too sweet and not tasteless/watery. 

- bamboo sticks

- prosciutto ham