Rosemary Pear Crostini with Walnuts & Pomegranate

and three cheeses: Gouda, Blue, and Cream Cheese

I love the word “crostini” … it sounds so fancy. Like you are at a posh dinner party where everyone is wearing tuxedos or dinner gowns with long white gloves, and sipping champagne. It’s sophisticated.

I have been working on this crostini for days, playing the name over and over in my head, thinking forward to the time when I will have my house in order enough to have a REAL party. Last night I made this crostini for the 2nd time, trying to perfect this recipe, and my daughter asked me what I was making. When I said “crostini”, she asked “what’s that?” … and basically my answer was “it’s a fancy little toast.”

You see, when you add some lovely fruit and funky cheeses and vinegar and toasted walnuts, well, then you have transported toast way beyond your simple breakfast or garlic toast. It is simply sublime. It’s party-worthy. It’s get-all-dressed-up-and-get-the-good-dishes-and-real-napkins-out worthy.

Rosemary Pear Crostini with Walnuts, Pomegranate Seeds, & Three Cheeses

I didn’t include amounts on most of the ingredients, because it depends on how many you want to make. I was making them as a snack for myself, so I didn’t need very much, but if you’re making them for a party, well, then, you’re going to need more toast, and pear, and cheese and stuff …

• 3 oz. light cream cheese
• 2 Tablespoons loose blue cheese crumbles
• 1 sprig of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• Thinly sliced crusty french bread or baguette, toasted
• Habanero pepper jelly (or if you don’t like hot peppers, try another jam or jelly)
• Vinaigrette salad dressing (I used my maple cranberry vinaigrette from this post, but I think just about any vinaigrette would work)
• If you like: Paper-thin sliced prosciutto (I tried it both with and without prosciutto and honestly, I like it both ways)
• Fresh pear slices
• Slices of gouda cheese
• Toasted walnuts
• Pomegranate seeds

Directions:

1. First, mix the cream cheese, blue cheese crumbles, and rosemary in a small bowl. Set aside while you prepare the other things.
2. Toast the bread and then spread it with a very thin layer of pepper jelly, then brush the little toasts with a low-fat vinaigrette salad dressing — or if you prefer, just a balsamic (or your favorite flavor of) vinegar.
3. Spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture over the jelly. It will be a little messy, but it’s ok.
4. Set the little toasts on a baking sheet.
5. If you are using proscuitto, add a thin slice of that.
6. Now arrange pear slices on top to cover the little toasts, then some slices of gouda cheese.
7. Bake or broil the toasts until the cheese is melted and a little bubbly.
8. Immediately top with the walnuts and pomegranate seeds, pressing them into the melted cheese to help the little things to stick to the top of the crostini.
9. Serve immediately, garnished with sprigs of fresh rosemary and extra pomegranate seeds and a nice glass of wine.

By the way, my daughter calls the pomegranate seeds her “beauty seeds” … and they are terrifically good for you, so I am sure they make you beautiful inside and out … and besides they look beautiful, so make sure to eat plenty of them with your crostini.

This recipe was shared with Wonka Wednesdays, Newlyweds Recipe Linky, Midweek Fiesta, Fabulous Friday and Foodie Friday.