This mid-century recipe for Savory Prune Rolls exemplifies why appetizers and other treats for entertaining are one of my favorite categories of vintage recipes. It is a delightful mix of common and trendier ingredients of the era with a creative spin to make them “fancy” for guests.
These bite-sized treats combine prunes, bacon, anchovies, olives, and capers and should be served warm. We doubled the recipe so you’d have 10 prunes to serve. Double or triple again for a larger group.
Savory Prune Bites 1955
Equipment
- 10 Wooden Cocktail sticks or toothpicks DO NOT use plastic sticks as they are not oven-safe!
Ingredients
- 10 Dried prunes (pitted)
- 10 Black olives (pitted)
- 6 Anchovy fillets
- 20 Capers
- 5 pieces Bacon
Instructions
- Soak prunes in warm water for 2-3 hours or overnight to soften.
- Pre-heat oven to 400℉ and line or light grease a baking sheet.
- While oven preheats, diced anchovy fillets into 10 pieces and cut the bacon in half to form 10 strips.
- Stuff each olive with a piece of anchovy and 2 capers. Then stuff each prune with a filled olive.
- Wrap each stuffed prune with a strip of bacon and secure it with a toothpick or cocktail stick. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet.
- Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until bacon is cooked. Serve warm.
Notes
Suggestions for Savory Prune Rolls
+ If you are using non-pitted (whole) prunes, make sure to fully remove the pit for your guests’ safety.
+ Do not use plastic toothpicks or cocktail sticks. They are not oven-safe.
+ Serves with balsamic vinegar or sour cream for dipping.
Source
Adapted from a recipe appearing in Good Housekeeping’s Cocktails & Savories (1955).