Chilled gazpacho with Puff Pastry Crackers

I love, love, love cooking. I spend probably 80% of my time in the kitchen every single day and I never get tired of it. But there are certain times when being in the kitchen feels like torture… when the temperature outside rises above normal levels and the sun shines relentlessly.  Whenever it gets too hot to cook I am perfectly content having crackers and cheese for dinner, especially if those crackers are topped with shaved Grana Padano and slices of Prosciutto di San Daniele.

But how would you feel if I told you I also served SOUP during our heatwave? Not just any soup of course, this was chilled gazpacho soup made with tomatoes, avocado, cucumber and watermelon or summer in a bowl! Traditional gazpacho usually contains bread but I left it out for a lighter and gluten-free version of this Spanish soup. You can serve it in chilled shot glasses as an appetizer or in small bowls as a light lunch option.

As for the super-easy puff pastry crackers, these are a must for any party. Made simply from puff pastry that’s baked between two heavy baking sheets and then liberally sprinkled with finely grated Grana Padano cheese and dried herbs, they are the perfect for loading up with slices of Prosciutto di San Daniele and more cheese! If you make a big batch and have leftover crackers you can reheat them in the oven for a couple of minutes before serving – not that leftovers are very likely.

The gazpacho can be prepared up to six hours in advance of serving to give it time to be properly chilled. But you could also serve it straight away with a couple of ice cubes to chill it down. The watermelon adds a nice touch of sweetness but you can replace with extra tomatoes if you prefer. Try to use the best and ripest tomatoes you can find as that’s where most of the flavour is coming from.

This recipe is sponsored by Grana Padano and Prosciutto Di San Dinele. Visit their