Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon mascarpone, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 12 Medjool dates
• 2 links hot Italian sausage, casings removed
• 6 slices bacon (about 4 ounces), cut crosswise in half

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Instructions

1. Watch how to make this recipe.
2. For the crema: Whisk together the sour cream, mascarpone, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil and salt. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors marry.
3. For the dates: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
4. Make a small lengthwise slit down the center of each date. Remove the pits and open the dates slightly; make sure they stay intact. Stuff each date with 1 teaspoon of the sausage. Close the dates up and around the sausage¿they won't close completely¿leaving some of the sausage exposed. Wrap each date in a piece of bacon and place on a baking sheet.
5. Bake for 8 minutes. Flip the dates, and bake until the bacon is crisp, another 8 to 10 minutes. Serve warm, with the crema on the side.