Save My friend Marco showed me this trick at a dinner party, casually braiding prosciutto and string cheese while chatting, and I was completely mesmerized by how something so simple could look so intentional. He wrapped them around his homemade pizza like edible ribbon, and when it came out of the oven, the cheese had melted into the prosciutto just enough to make everything chewy and savory without falling apart. I've been making these nautical knots ever since, and they've become my secret weapon for impressing people without spending hours in the kitchen.
The first time I served these at a potluck, I arranged them in a circle on the table like they were precious artifacts, and people kept asking what they were before realizing they could just eat them. Someone told me they'd never thought to braid cheese and meat together, and suddenly I felt like a creative genius even though Marco had literally shown me how.
Ingredients
- String cheese sticks: Use part-skim mozzarella for the best texture—it melts smoothly without getting greasy, and the sticks hold their shape while you braid.
- Prosciutto slices: Thin, delicate slices are essential because thick-cut prosciutto tears easily when you're rolling and braiding, and you want the final knot to look intentional, not shredded.
Instructions
- Roll your cheese:
- Lay a slice of prosciutto flat and place a cheese stick at one end, then roll it tightly like you're wrapping a present. The prosciutto should hug the cheese completely, with no loose edges flapping around.
- Start braiding:
- Take two wrapped sticks and begin twisting them around each other gently at one end, keeping tension even so the braid stays symmetrical. The motion is almost meditative once you find your rhythm.
- Complete the knot:
- Keep braiding until you reach the other end, then gently press the strands together so they hold their shape. If you want thicker ropes, braid three wrapped sticks together instead of two—it looks more dramatic.
- Arrange or bake:
- Place the braided ropes around a pizza or flatbread before baking, or arrange them on a serving board with dipping sauce. If baking, 375°F for 8–10 minutes gives you crispy prosciutto edges and melted cheese without any rubbery texture.
Save I made these for my nephew's third birthday party, arranged them like little anchors on his pizza, and he declared them "cheese ropes" and ate three in a row. Watching a toddler get excited about something I braided with my hands taught me that the best recipes aren't about complexity—they're about creating something that makes people smile.
Baking vs. Serving Raw
Raw nautical knots have a firm, chewy texture that works beautifully as a snack or appetizer on their own, especially when you serve them with dipping sauces like marinara, pesto, or honey mustard. If you bake them, the prosciutto edges crisp up and the cheese softens into the braided structure, creating something closer to a warm, savory pastry that's perfect as a pizza border. I've done both depending on the occasion, and there's honestly no wrong choice—it just depends on whether you want grab-and-go or warm and melty.
Why This Works as a Pizza Border
The beauty of wrapping these around a pizza is that the prosciutto conducts heat, so the cheese doesn't just sit there—it actually melts into the crust slightly, creating a savory frame that tastes like it was intentionally part of the dough. It's also a clever way to use up those last bits of prosciutto and string cheese from your fridge without any waste. People always notice it first, and it immediately signals that this isn't an ordinary pizza.
Scaling and Storage
These braids are endlessly scalable—make four knots for a quiet dinner or batch twenty for a party without any extra effort. You can prepare them hours ahead, wrap them loosely in plastic wrap, and keep them in the fridge until you're ready to serve or bake, which means all the work happens when you're not stressed.
- Store braided knots in an airtight container for up to three days, and they'll taste just as good straight from the fridge.
- If you're substituting prosciutto with speck or jamón serrano, the braiding technique stays exactly the same—just watch baking time since different cured meats have varying fat content.
- These freeze beautifully unbaked, so make a big batch ahead and pop them in the oven whenever you need an impressive last-minute appetizer.
Save These little ropes have become my answer to the question of what to bring to a potluck, and they've earned me compliments that feel disproportionate to the effort. That's the magic of a recipe that looks intentional, tastes delicious, and takes less time than it takes to preheat an oven.