Paquetitos de Jamón Serrano con Alcachofa y Manchego
Chapter 1: Foundations & the Bar Snacks
In the mid-2000s, a handful of visionary New York tapas joints figured out something brilliant: if you wrap an earthy, pungent mix of artichoke and aged Manchego in cured Serrano ham, then subject it to screaming-hot iron, the pork becomes the pastry. It’s an architectural marvel of a bar snack that hits all the right salty, nutty, and vegetal notes. Don't even think about substituting Italian prosciutto here; it's too wet and lacks the structural integrity to survive the heat. Make them hours ahead, leave them in the fridge, and sear them off when the vermut starts flowing.
Before you start
Drain and dry the artichokes aggressively.
Excess water is the enemy of a crisp sear, so press them firmly between double layers of heavy-duty paper towels until surprisingly dry.
Pulse the filling into a paste.
Combine the artichokes, Manchego, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until it forms a cohesive, chunky paste, taking care not to over-process into a smooth liquid.
Fold the paquetitos like a flag.
Place exactly one rounded teaspoon of filling at the bottom end of a ham strip, then fold the corner over to form a triangle and continue flipping end-over-end until the entire strip is wrapped tight.
Chill the packages to lock the seams.
Place the folded parcels seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to solidify the fat.
Ingredients
- Jamón Serrano slices12 large
- jarred artichoke hearts10 oz
- Curado Manchego cheese1 cup
- garlic1 small
- Spanish extra virgin olive oil2 tbsp
- sweet Pimentón de la Vera1/8 tsp
- fresh parsley1 tbsp
Method
- 01
Heat the skillet and olive oil to the smoking point.
Place a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat with the olive oil until it just begins to shimmer and lightly smoke.
- 02
Sear the paquetitos seam-side down for one minute.
Drop the chilled packages straight into the hot oil and leave them undisturbed for 60 to 90 seconds until the ham is deeply crisp and mahogany in color.
- 03
Flip and sear the second side.
Using tongs, gently turn each parcel and cook for another 60 seconds to melt the Manchego into the artichoke core.
- 04
Drain briefly and plate.
Move the paquetitos to a paper towel-lined plate for exactly 10 seconds to shed excess fat, then transfer to a warmed ceramic dish.
- 05
Garnish and serve immediately.
Hit the hot packages with a microscopic dusting of Pimentón de la Vera, a scatter of parsley, and a few drops of raw olive oil before the cheese sets.
Notes
Respect the Spanish ingredients.
Do not substitute Italian prosciutto or domestic cow's milk cheese; prosciutto will steam instead of crisping, and generic cheese lacks the lactic tang required to balance the salty pork.
Nail the host's timeline.
The filling, folding, and chilling can be done a full 24 hours in advance so you aren't stuck sweating in the kitchen while your guests are drinking your Albariño.