Baked Goat Cheese appetizer
Summer is fleeting and I am not ready for it to end! But, I did manage to make a delicious appetizer to celebrate the summer tomato harvest. This rich and saucy dish is called Baked Goat Cheese a La Toscana and it’s versatile enough to be enjoyed on a crisp fall evening, or lazy Sunday afternoon, or as a hit at your next holiday cocktail party.
Let's get started
This baked goat cheese recipe is highly adaptable. You can use your own Roasted Garden Tomato bounty or a can of crushed tomatoes to make a delicious sweet tangy sauce. Either way, the results will be delightful.
Ingredients for Baked Goat Cheese a La Toscana
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Chopped Onion
- Garlic Cloves
- Italian Seasonings and/or Trader Joe's Italian Style Soffritto Seasoning Blend
- Sugar
- Salt/Pepper
- Goat Cheese
- Crushed Tomatoes
- Parsley
- Balsamic Glaze
- Crusty Bread and/or Crackers
Equipment
I used a 8 inch cast iron skillet.
Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
In my kitchen, we use what we have on hand, and since it's the end of summer fresh herbs are abundant. Here are some basic guidelines for herbs:
- Fresh is best. Store both delicate and hardy, wrapped in damp paper towels in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. The herbs should stay fresh for about a week.
- Dried herbs work considerably well in recipes involving fairly long cooking times and a nice amount of liquid.
- Herbs like basil, chives, and parsley tend to lose most of their flavor when dried, try to find these fresh. Better yet grown your own indoor container garden!
- Use one-third as much dried herbs as fresh, and add them early in the cooking process to they have time to soften.
- Clean out your herb drawer! Dried herbs lose their potency 6 to 12 months after opening.
If you are a Traders Joe fan I used their Italian Style Soffritto seasoning blend, find a full review of it here.
Get Ahead
Refrigerate sauce in airtight container for up to 3 days. The goat cheese can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 1 day. To finish the dish, increase broiling time to 12-15 minutes
Balsamic Glaze
I used Bertolli balsamic glaze which is exceptionally sweet yet mild.
Baked Goat Cheese a la Toscana
Equipment
- 8" Cast Iron Skillet
Ingredients
Baked Goat Cheese
- 3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- 1 onion chopped, fine
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon italian seasonings
- 2 teaspoons Trader Joes Soffritto seasoning blend optional
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (8-to 10-ounce) log goat cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Bertolli balsamic glaze
Instructions
Baked Goat Cheese
- Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, Italian seasonings, soffritos, pepper flakes, and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and sugar, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Place goat cheese between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten goat cheese into 1-inch-thick disk, 3 to 4 inches in diameter, cupping your hands around outside of disk as needed to make compact shape.
- Transfer tomato sauce to shallow 2 quart broiler safe dish. Place goat cheese in center. Broil until goat cheese is well browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle basil and drizzle with balsamic glaze.
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