Tina: It might be that I am petite in stature that I like small bite-size dishes, or perhaps they just taste better to me. I fact, I will never let hors d’oeuvres pass me without having a taste – you might actually see me chase down the waiters or force them to come to me first the next time they fill up their serving plate. My Vietnamese heritage has no shame.
When I host dinner parties, I often serve a cheese and meat platter for my guests to enjoy with wine before the main meal. To add some variety, I love serving these crostini with goat cheese and broccoli rabe. The rich flavor from the goat cheese goes really well with bitter greens.
Notes
If you don’t like goat cheese you can also use other kinds of soft cheese.
It looks a lot better if you cut the bread at an angle, and it also creates a bigger surface to allow more toppings.
Recipe: Goat Cheese and Broccoli Rabe Crostini
Course: Appetizers, Snacks10-16
slicesI love serving these crostini with goat cheese and broccoli rabe. The rich flavor from the goat cheese goes really well with bitter greens.
Ingredients
1 bunch 1 broccoli rabe, ends cut off
Goat cheese (chèvre) or garlic cream cheese
Fresh baguette, sliced
1 clove 1 garlic (for goat cheese)
Salt, pepper
Pinch of chili flakes
Directions
- Sauté the broccoli rabe on a pan with a little olive oil for a few minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and cook until the greens turn tender and the water has evaporated.
- Remove the broccoli rabe from the pan and cut each of them in half.
- Cut the baguette in thin diagonal* slices and toast the bread in the oven for a few minutes on 400°F (200°C).
- If you choose goat cheese: Cut a clove of garlic in half and rub on top of the warm toasted bread. The heat will melt the garlic and infuse the bread. Let it cool a bit before spreading a little goat cheese on top. If you choose garlic cheese: Let the bread cool a bit before spreading a little cheese on top.
- Top each crostini with a little sautéed broccoli rabe, and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chili flakes.
