Perfect party season canapés

These impressive mini sandwiches are fun and easy to make, and are the perfect canapés for the festive season. Simply layer Parma Ham, ricotta cheese, tomato and fresh basil inside squares of rustic foccacia bread. Secure the layers with a cocktail stick and offer to your hungry guests.

Delicious Parma Ham is a completely natural food with nothing added except salt. Making a Parma Ham is a long and painstaking process. The curing is controlled carefully so that the ham absorbs only enough salt to preserve it to retain its distinctive sweet flavour.

Prosciutto di Parma is produced in the hills surrounding the Italian town of Parma. The air in the Parmesan hills is unique, dry and sweet-smelling with breezes from the Apennine mountains, creating perfect environmental conditions for a natural “drying” of the hams.

The unique taste of Parma Ham is dependent on the traditional production process passed down from Roman times, carefully controlled by the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. Only hams that have passed stringent curing regulations approved by the EU can be awarded the stamp of the Ducal crown – a five pointed coronet logo with PARMA in the centre which is branded onto the ham’s skin. The Ducal Crown is now a certification trademark.

Parma Ham Focaccia Mini Sandwiches

Serves 4-6

1 loaf focaccia, flavoured with peppers, tomatoes or herbs
100g (4oz) ricotta cheese
4 tomatoes, sliced
12 basil leaves
6 slices Parma Ham, cut in half

- Bake the focaccia according to pack instructions, if necessary, or warm it in an oven pre-heated to 190°C / fan oven 170°C / gas mark 5 for six to eight minutes. Cool slightly, then cut into 12 squares measuring about 4 x 4cm (1 ½ inch) each

- Slice each focaccia square into three pieces, then spread the bottom layer with ricotta cheese and put a slice of tomato and a basil leaf on top. Place the middle layer of bread on top, and then add a folded slice of Parma Ham. Sandwich together with the top piece of focaccia, then skewer with a cocktail stick or mini bamboo kebab stick to keep them secure. Serve at once

Cook’s tips: Look out for any tasty Italian bread for making these delicious nibbles – you could use ciabatta instead. Try using thin slices of mozzarella cheese instead of ricotta – just keep the theme Italian!