Whoever invented crostini was a genius. These little handheld toast bites are just vessels for the most glorious toppings your imagination can conjure. They’re quite literally the perfect appetizer for any occasion, and most of the components can even be made ahead of time. This crostini layers homemade fig jam, creamy spreadable goat cheese and blankets of slightly crisp prosciutto. Easy, delicious and a crowd favorite.
What to Notice
- The fig jam will be textured. That’s part of the experience. Because everyone will get figs at different levels of ripeness, taste the jam as you go. If your figs were more on the ripe side, they’ll have more inherent sweetness, therefore you may need to add less sugar. If they’re less ripe, you may need to add more sugar.
- You can’t go wrong with making the goat cheese spread. When you’re whipping the goat cheese and cream cheese together, simply watch for the consistency to change into something creamy, spreadable and luxurious. If it looks like it isn’t quite coming together, add more olive oil to help the process along.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 French baguette
- 1, 4- ounce log of goat cheese softened
- 4 ounces of cream cheese softened,
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 packages of prosciutto
- 1, 8- ounce container of fresh figs
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon balsamic
- Fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Slice your baguette on the diagonal in ½-inch thick slices. Drizzle with some olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake for about 4 minutes then remove from the oven, leaving the oven on.
- Make your fig spread by cutting figs into quarters and placing them into a small saucepan over medium heat. Add your sugar, balsamic and a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a fork, smash the figs so they break down faster. Cook over medium until the mixture begins to slightly bubble, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it cook for just another two minutes.
- Make your goat cheese spread by placing goat cheese, cream cheese, olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper to the bowl of a mixer and beat until light and creamy.
- Assemble the crostini by spreading a layer of fig jam over the slightly toasted baguette. On top of this, add a layer of the goat cheese. Top this with a generous draping of prosciutto. Return the crostini to the oven for about 4 more minutes to let the prosciutto get ever-so-slightly crisp. Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh thyme leaves.
