These bites used to be the hottest appetizer of the 70’s and are way overdue for a comeback.  Possibly named after Norman warriors who terrorized southern England, these little treats are ugly as sin but oh so delicious.  They will be hoovered up in a minute so definitely have some extra floating around.  The toothpicks, while kitsch, also make them an extremely convenient hors d’oeuvres.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

20 medjool dates (or any large date), pitted

1 small log of fresh chevre

10 strips of bacon, cut in half crosswise

toothpicks

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Poke your finger in the pitted dates, creating a little hole. Take a small junk of chevre (between 1/2 and 1 teaspoon) and push it into the date. Don’t overfill them, otherwise you’ll get a mess in the oven. Wrap each filled date in one half-slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Place them on a rimmed baking sheet (I put mine on top of a silicone pad or wrap in aluminum and top with parchment) and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until the bacon is fully crisped. There will be some grease on the pan, so before plating, pat the dates on a paper towel. Plate and serve after they’ve cooled for a few minutes. They’re hot!