Halloween Antipasto Eyeballs Appetizer

Directions

1. In a blender, combine the olive oil, fresh basil leaves, and a pinch of kosher salt. Blend until smooth, then pour into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Place the cherry-sized mozzarella balls on a cutting board. For each, choose the best side to be the top—it should be slightly rounded and wide. If needed, trim a small slice from the bottom so the ball sits flat.
3. Using a sharp paring knife, cut a small circle into the top of each mozzarella ball, about 1/4 inch deep. Do not cut all the way through. This circle will be the iris; it should be larger than a wide straw's opening but small enough that plenty of white mozzarella remains visible. Set aside.
4. Slice each black olive in half lengthwise. With the inside facing up, use a wide-mouthed straw to punch out a small circle from the center of each olive half, like a cookie cutter. Save these small olive circles as pupils and discard the rest.
5. Stir the basil oil with a small spoon, then fill each hole in the mozzarella balls almost to the top with the oil.
6. Place one olive pupil, smooth side up, in the center of the basil oil in each mozzarella ball. Add more basil oil if needed to fill the cavity to the top.
7. Fold a thin slice of ham in half lengthwise, then wrap it around the outside of a mozzarella ball, shaping it into an eye shape. Add additional ham pieces as needed. Repeat for all eyeballs.
8. Crumple a sheet of brown parchment paper large enough to cover your serving platter, then uncrumple it and lay it on the platter.
9. Drizzle the balsamic glaze in a few lines over the wrinkled parchment, then smear it around with a spoon. Scatter the sun-dried tomatoes over the glaze and sprinkle with flake salt.
10. Arrange the ham-wrapped eyeballs on top of the sun-dried tomatoes and serve.