Description
Delicious Parmesan Crusted Crostini topped with fresh Bartlett pear slices, toasted walnuts, and drizzled with spicy hot honey. This appetizer offers a delightful balance of crispy cheese, sweet fruit, crunchy nuts, and a hint of heat, perfect for entertaining or a flavorful snack.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Crostini
- 1 French baguette, cut diagonally into ½ inch slices
- ¾-1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces grated)
Toppings
- 2 Bartlett pears, cores removed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- Hot honey, for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Prepare the cheese crust: Using a microplane or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in an even layer directly onto the parchment paper, creating a crispy, cheesy base for the crostini.
- Bake the crostini: Arrange the baguette slices on top of the grated cheese layer. Bake them in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese beneath turns golden brown and crispy.
- Assemble with toppings: Once cool enough to handle, flip each crostini so the cheese crust is on top. Add one to two thin slices of Bartlett pear on each, sprinkle with toasted walnuts, drizzle with hot honey, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt.
- Serve fresh: Enjoy these crostini fresh from the oven to experience the perfect combination of crispy cheese, fresh sweetness from the pears, spicy honey, and crunchy walnuts.
Notes
- Use a sharp microplane or fine grater for the cheese to ensure even melting and crisping.
- To toast walnuts, spread them on a baking sheet and bake at 350ºF for about 5-7 minutes until fragrant, stirring once.
- Hot honey can be substituted with regular honey if you prefer less spice.
- Serve immediately for best texture, as the cheese crust will soften if left out too long.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute the baguette with gluten-free bread slices.
