Goat Cheese, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Crostini: a Simple Appetizer

Here's a super simple appetizer that Ann used to make at home and I used to make at the restaurant: a crostino topped with a whipped and seasoned goat cheese schmear followed by roasted red peppers and fresh basil leaves. The beautiful colors of the Italian flag will impress your guests long before they taste how delicious the combination is.

Goat Cheese, Roasted Red Pepper, and Basil Crostini

In fact, this very dish I paired with a fruity young Claret-style red in a wine dinner, much to the winemaker's initial dismay. This goat cheese-based crostino is a slam dunk and quite traditional pairing with a young acidic white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc. And so it disconcerted the winemaker to find his young red paired with this, fearing that the peppers would bring out the worst in his wine, until he tasted it and found that the pairing was highly successful. What I'm trying to say in long-winded fashion is that no matter what you're drinking along with your appetizers, this crostino is going to have a great chance at making a successful pairing.

What's so easy about this appetizer is that you can make it in large slabs and cut it to any portion size that you require. Coat the bread with fresh garlic and olive oil before browning it under the broiler. Let it cool a bit before applying the goat cheese, as hot bread will liquify young chèvre. Whip the goat cheese (in small batches, I use a fork; large batches, the mixer with a balloon whip) with a touch of olive oil, salt, and pepper until it is smooth and spreadable. You can use any kind of roasted red pepper you like. I think piquillos are especially nice. This batch was made with generic roasted red pepper strips straight off the supermarket shelf, nothing fancy.

Made in Bulk and Cut to Size