Balsamic Roasted Cherry and Goat Cheese Crostini
I love summer fruit. It’s best enjoyed fresh but it’s just as tasty baked into pies or crisps and even roasted and put into salads, and on crusty bread and paired with cheese.
Crostini with a mix of sweet and savory flavors is a perfect summer breakfast,
brunch or lunch item.
They are simple to make and so easy to ‘fancy’ up by means of herb and cheese variation. Roasted fruit is a simple way to use up any fruit you’ve got hanging out on the counter - it’s fast, easy and delicious.
Roasting fruit with balsamic vinegar brings out the cherry’s beautiful color and truly enhances their flavor. They are great served with a simple pound cake, over vanilla ice cream, yoghurt, added to salads or simply by themselves straight out the pan. They are also perfect on these goat cheese crostini, that make a great appetizer but can easily double as a light dinner with a side salad.
Ingredients
· 12 slices baguette
· 4 tbsp olive oil divided
· 1 cup goat cheese (approx 1 tsp per slice of baguette)
· 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
· 1 tbsp of fresh thyme plus more for garnish 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
· Salt and pepper to taste
· honey and balsamic glaze for serving
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a small bowl toss the cherries with 2 tbsp of olive oil, the cherry liqueur if using, balsamic vinegar, thyme and salt and pepper.
3. Place the slices of baguette on a sheet pan and brush with remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil and then toast the slices of baguette for 7 minutes on the lower rack.
4. While the bread is toasting, spread the cherries with all their juices in a separate baking sheet lined with parchment and roast together with the bread for 5-7 minutes on the high rack in the oven until tender and bubbling.
5. Remove both from oven when done. Spread approximately 1 Tsp of goat cheese onto each crostini. Top with 2-3 cherry halves and a garnish with a sprig of thyme. Drizzle the crostini with honey and a bit of balsamic glaze. Top each toast with a pinch of salt and pepper and serve immediately. Any extra cherries are delicious in a salad or over yoghurt or ice cream.
Adapted from Olive and Mango
