Paper Crane appetizer (Printable Version)

Stunning appetizer with folded cured meats and crisp triangular crackers arranged artfully.

# What You Need:

→ Cured Meats

01 - 3.5 oz prosciutto, thinly sliced
02 - 3.5 oz smoked turkey breast, thinly sliced
03 - 2.8 oz bresaola or pastrami, thinly sliced

→ Crackers

04 - 16 triangular whole-grain crackers (approximately 2 inches per side)
05 - 8 black sesame or poppy seed triangular crackers

→ Garnishes

06 - 1 small bunch chives
07 - 1 small carrot, peeled
08 - 2 tablespoons cream cheese
09 - 1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

# How To Make:

01 - Thinly slice the peeled carrot lengthwise using a vegetable peeler. Cut several slices into narrow strips to form the crane's beak and legs.
02 - On a large serving platter, fold prosciutto and smoked turkey slices into sharp, origami-style triangles, layering them to build a three-dimensional body shape.
03 - Fold bresaola or pastrami slices into triangles and arrange them in a fanned, upward formation to represent wings in flight.
04 - Position triangular crackers beneath and alongside the cured meats, following the silhouette of the body and wings to accentuate the crane motif.
05 - Use cream cheese to secure carrot strips as the crane’s beak and legs. Add chives to simulate tail feathers and wing details.
06 - Sprinkle black sesame seeds at the spot representing the eye and over the wings for additional texture and visual interest.
07 - Serve promptly, or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to one hour before serving.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like museum-quality art but takes just 20 minutes, which means you can actually pull it off on a weeknight.
  • People always assume it's complicated, so you become the kitchen genius without breaking a sweat.
  • Every element is already delicious on its own, so the beauty actually tastes as good as it looks.
02 -
  • Slice your meats as thin as humanly possible—the thinner they are, the easier they fold and the more graceful the crane becomes.
  • Don't assemble this more than an hour ahead because the moisture from the meats will eventually soften the crackers and wilt the chives.
  • The cream cheese dries quickly, so stick your carrot pieces on right before serving, not halfway through prep.
03 -
  • Ask your butcher to slice the meats paper-thin; it makes folding infinitely easier and the texture becomes almost delicate.
  • Keep your platter and all components cold until the very last second—this keeps the meats firm and makes them fold cleanly.
  • Practice the crane shape once without the meat first, just using the crackers and carrot, so your hands know what they're doing when the real thing is in front of you.
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