Heidi's Fig & Goat Cheese Appetizer
The holidays are here, and everyone is scrambling for a delicious and simple appetizer to prepare and serve. Here's one of my go-to favorites, which everyone loves and always disappears whenever I serve it. You can get creative and switch up the ingredients to your liking, but please try this combo first. It's a winner. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 Pastry Puff Sheet, defrosted per package instruction
1 egg or egg white for egg wash
4 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature
4 oz Goat Cheese, room temperature
1 medium sweet onion, caramelized
Fig Jam or Fig Preserves
Arugula, Enough to top after pastry is baked
1/2-1 cup Balsamic vinegar for balsamic reduction
Optional: Candied Pecans or Pistachios
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a bowl, mix the goat and cream cheeses together until smooth. Set aside.
Take a defrosted pastry puff sheet, unfold the dough, and roll it out on parchment paper.
Prep baking sheet by lining it with another sheet of parchment paper, transfer dough onto baking sheet.
Whisk egg and a few drops of water in the small ramekin.
Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash onto the entire surface of the puff pastry sheet.
Using a spatula, spread no more than a 1/4 inch thick cheese mixture onto the pastry sheet, leaving a 1/4 inch around the edges.
Dollop fig jam onto the cheese approx. 3 inches apart.
Add the desired amount of caramelized onions on top of the entire pastry sheet.
Bake 18-22 minutes or until edges are golden brown and pastry puffed up. Add arugula, nuts and drizzle with balsamic syrup.
I like using a pizza cutter to cut this into bite-sized pieces; enjoy!
Instructions to make your own caramelized onions:
Heat the 3/4 tablespoon oil in a small cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onion and sauté for 5 minutes or until starting to soften. Add the salt, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for 50 to 80 minutes, stirring every few minutes, or until the onions are very soft, golden brown, and caramelized. The timing will depend on the size of your onions and the heat of your stove.
Instructions to make your own balsamic reduction:
In a small pot on medium heat, add 1/2- 1 cup balsamic vinegar and heat to reduce, stirring frequently. This takes approx. 15-20 minutes to thicken. Set aside and cool. 1/2 cup is enough for this recipe but I always like the option to drizzle on a little more.
Heidi Licata has been our resident foodie for The Loop since the magazine began more than ten years ago. She lives in Corral de Tierra with her husband. You can find more recipes at DeliciousandSimple.net.