Cucina! Cucina! Baked Goat Cheese
3 ounces goat cheese (3/4 cup)
2 tablespoons fine bread crumbs
2 teaspoons pine nuts, chopped
2 cloves garlic
4 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 baguette
Form goat cheese into a 3-inch disc. Combine bread crumbs and
chopped pine nuts in a small dish. Pat bread crumb mixture evenly
onto goat cheese disc and set aside.
To caramelize garlic, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small
saut� pan over medium-low heat. Add peeled garlic cloves and cook
slowly until garlic changes color to a light golden brown, 15 to 20
minutes. Remove garlic from oil and set aside. Reserve olive oil.
To make crostinis, preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Slice baguette in 1/4-inch thick pieces at an angle, about 4 inches
long. Take the reserved garlic olive oil and brush both sides of
each bread slice with it. Place the crostinis on a cookie sheet and
bake at 300 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until light brown. Remove
from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees F and place goat cheese on
a cookie sheet. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes, or until bread crumbs turn
a light golden color and cheese begins to puff. Sprinkle caramelized
garlic over baked goat cheese and drizzle remaining 1/2 tablespoon
olive oil on top. Serve on a large plate surrounded by crostinis.
Makes 6 appetizer servings. Source: Cucina! Cucina!
Italian Cafe - Phoenix, Arizona
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