Ant,
These were delicious. And festive too, a fitting complement to the bubbly we started the evening with.
One thing I particularly liked was that the gorgonzola, caramelized onion and pear crostini were impressive, yet simple. Once the onions are done, assembly is quick and (bonus points!) can be done ahead of time.
Something we talked about at Thanksgiving dinner (or was it before?) was that the ingredients in dishes we like best have two things in common: There are only a few of them, and they’re good quality. This crostini fits the bill on both counts.
If I were making these crostini, I’d make three changes to your recipe:
- Thyme instead of rosemary in the onions (with some sprinkled on top just before serving).
- A denser bread that’s cut in thinner pieces so you get a crispier base. The fig and anise demi-loaf from Terra Breads was a particularly good complement to the onions and cheese.
- Finally, I’d use Gorgonzola rather than Gorgonzola Dolce. It’s firmer, so it can be sliced instead of spread.
For presentation, I’d make them bite-sized. Slices from the demi-loaf were perfect when cut in half. It’s true, I love small canapés! Makes for easier eating if you’re mingling with your cocktail too. So, mini gorgonzola and carmelized onion crostini with pear it is!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 medium onions, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- pinch sugar
- cracked black pepper
- 1-1/2 teaspoon thyme, divided
- 24 slices fig and anise bread, or a dense sourdough bread
- 3-1/2 to 4 ounces gorgonzola, sliced
- 1 pear, sliced
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan on medium heat. Add onions, salt, sugar and pepper and cook for 16-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly browned. Remove from heat, stir in 1 teaspoon thyme and let cool. Makes about 1-1/2 cups. (This is a little more than you will need, but it keeps well and makes a delicious addition to sandwiches or flatbread. Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.)
- Preheat your broiler to high. Cut the bread into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick and 2” around. Place pieces on a baking sheet and toast each side until lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.
- Set the oven to 350F. Slice the gorgonzola into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick. Top each crostini with about 1 tsp of caramelized onion and a slice of cheese, and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
- While the crostini are in the oven, slice the pear into 24 pieces about 1/8” thick and 1 1/2” around. Once the crostini are out of the oven, top each one with a slice of pear and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp thyme. Serve immediately . . . and wait for the kudos to pour in.
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