The recipe for baked salami originally appeared in Judy Volhart’s cozy murder mystery Feta and the Fat Bastard (Whine & Cheese Cozy Mystery Series, Book 3). Have you tried this recipe? Tell us in the comments section below.

Baked Salami

Salami of your choice, sliced to the thickness of your choice but not too thick (see below for suggestions)

Herbed goat cheese or plain, spreadable cream cheese

Dried or fresh dill weed or chives

Arrange the salami on a baking sheet or used but clean aluminum pie plate (I swear the pie plates cook everything to perfection!). Bake at 325 degrees for about 8-10 minutes, depending on the thinness, keeping a close eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Another great idea is to bake in muffin tins to get a bowl effect.

Line plate with paper towel. Remove salami from heat, place on paper towels to blot and let cool. Once cool, top with about a teaspoon of your cheese and sprinkle with dill or another green herb of your choice (fresh chives or scallions are great too).

My suggestions for a good salami aren’t very exclusive. Basically anything works well for this. In the States, I’ve even come across a salami called simply “Salami” and this worked well too. When I tried this recipe with something a bit spicy, like a nice Mexican or Mustard Seed Salami, it kicked it up a notch.

You can also bake pepperoni. To do it the really easy way, place a sheet of paper towel on a plate and place as many pepperoni rounds as you can on it. Then microwave for about 45 seconds and check them. If they need a bit more time, another 15 to 20 seconds should be all it takes for some yummy pepperoni chips. As microwave times vary, test a few at a time as this one’s a bit tricky to master. I, personally, haven’t mastered it yet, but I’ve seen great results by those who have.