Get ready for Goat's Cheese Crostini Two Ways! Mainly because I couldn't decide between plums and pears as toppings so I've gone with both. But having said that, a basic goat's cheese crostini is perfectly delicious without either. Just lightly toast slices of bagette, smoother them in creamy goats cheese and add a drizzle of honey and a pinch of sea salt. However, if you want to make them a little more interesting (plus show off a little), try adding roast pear and thyme or roast plums and rosemary. Both combos work really well.
O.K. So once upon a time, I wasn't a fan of goat's cheese. And that's hard when you are a vegetaraian and it's the ingredient of choice for the vegetarain starter in pretty much 90% of restaurants with mushroom risotto being the preferred main course. I didn't dislike it and would eat it and it would be fine. But then all of a sudden I started to enjoy it and went from putting up with it to loving it. The other thing to bear in mind is that not all Goat's Cheese are created equal. Some of the Irish made goat's cheese are the best you will taste. If you can buy St. Tola's, Ardsallagh or Knockdrinna, then opt for those. Served with a little honey, they are just perfection.
I'm keeping today's post short and sweet as I'm writing it from sunny Spain. To be honest, I'm just happy that I'm sticking to my Monday post while away as this type of blogging discipline is not what I'm used too. Especailly as I almost forgot to transfer the pics from my camera to my laptop, but remembered just before I left for the airport Friday morning. Phew!
So here it is - just in time for the festive season - your perfect canapé. Goat's Cheese Crostini, Two Ways. Enjoy x
PS: If making these in advance, my advice is to make each of the elements but not to assemble them until just before serving. Otherwise, you may well have soggy crostinis on your hands and what a disappointment that would be :)!!
Goat's Cheese Crostini, Two Ways
Ingredients
A sourdough bagette
150g goat's cheese
Plum topping
2-3 plums
1 sprig of rosemary
2 tbsp balsmaic vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt
Black pepper
Pear topping
2 pears
2 sprigs thyme
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp olive oil
4-5 pecan nuts
Sea salt.
Method
Preheat the oven to Gas 5 / 190C. Slice the bagette into slices, about a centimetre thick and place on a baking sheet in the oven for about 6-8 minutes, turning half way though. You want them lightly toasted. Spread a generous amount of goat's cheese over the top of each slice of crostini.
To make the plum topping, combine the balsamic, oil and chopped rosemary in a bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Thinly slice the plums and add them to the bowl ensuring they are coated with the balsamic mixture. Spread on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway.
To make the pear topping, combine the honey, oil and chopped thyme in a bowl. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Thinly slice the pears and add them to the bowl ensuring they are coated with the honey mixture. Spread on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway. Separately, dry roast the pecan nuts for 8 minutes and roughly chop them.
To assemble the crostinis, add slices of roast plums and slices of roast pears to the goat's cheese crostini. Sprinkly the choped pecan nuts over the crostinis that are topped with the pear. Serve immediately x
