With fresh figs at the market and friends in for dinner three nights this week, I assembled a simple appetizer for everyone to enjoy with a glass of wine. Ever versatile crostini – crisp, thin, little toasts which I topped with fresh figs, soft goat cheese, a ribbon of Prosciutto and a drizzle of sweet Balsamic syrup. Our guests gobbled them down.
Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini with Prosciutto
The first time I had a fresh fig was in San Francisco while taking a food writing course. In a discussion about food I sheepishly admitted I had never tried fresh figs and was promptly handed one to try. I loved them at first bite.
I didn’t grow up eating figs. In contrast, my husband’s grandmother had a fig tree so huge they climbed it as kids. The prolific tree produced figs for breakfast and her wonderful homemade fig jam. We are shaped by what we grow up eating, but it is never too late to learn.
About Figs
Sweet tasting with a tender skin and light crunch from the tiny seeds, figs have a unique taste and texture. Of the many varieties, the black-purple Black Mission and lighter Brown Turkey figs are my favorites.
Fresh figs don’t store well and are very perishable, which is why they are often dried. Buy them the day of serving or a day before at best, depending on ripeness. I’ve made this recipe with dried figs and even fig jam, but fresh figs are fabulous.
No Cooking: Assemble and Enjoy
With no cooking required (just a little baking), assemble and enjoy the amazing combination of flavors and textures in this easy appetizer and take advantage of fresh seasonal figs. You can even take the prepped ingredients to a party and assemble there for a fabulous offering.
Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini with Prosciutto
Ingredients
Homemade Balsamic Syrup (makes extra, or or use purchased)
- 1 cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
Crostini
- 1/2 baguette, sourdough or whole wheat need 12 slices
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
Fig Appetizer
- 6 ounces Goat cheese at room temperature
- 6 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto sliced into long thin ribbons
- 4 fresh figs washed, stem cut off and quartered
Instructions
Balsamic Syrup
- If making the Balsamic syrup, do that first, even days ahead. It keeps forever stored in the pantry in a little squeeze bottle. Always good to have on hand.
- Add Balsamic vinegar to a small saucepan (2 quart), pour and bring to just a boil. Immediately turn the heat down to a low simmer. Add the brown sugar, stir and cook down until reduced by about half. Syrup will thicken as it cools. When cool, place in a plastic squeeze bottle and store in the pantry.
Crostini
- With a serrated knife, thinly sliced the baguette on an angle about 1/3” thick to get 18 slices. Place on a rimmed baking sheet covered with foil. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
- While oven is heating melt butter and olive oil in the microwave 30-45 seconds over medium power covered with plastic film. When melted, stir in granulated garlic. When oven is ready, lightly bush oil-butter-garlic blend onto crostini with a pastry brush. Bake crostini 10-12 minutes on the middle oven rack, or until just golden. They will crisp up as they cool. Place on a plate or platter to serve.
- To Assemble
- Spread crostini with a little soft goat cheese, top with a ribbon of Prosciutto, top with a fig quarter. Right before serving drizzle with Balsamic syrup or Balsamic vinegar.
these look so tasty, the figs look perfectly ripe. Great combination of flavors that is simple to make.
I’m definitely trying this next time we have guests! We don’t get a lot of fresh figs here in Kentucky, but I like the idea of using fig jam…
I just saw fresh figs at the market the other day and was looking for a new recipe to try. These are perfect! It was so great catching up the other day!
I love this flavor profile, Sally! Anything with a fig gets my vote!
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Sounds like a delicious combination of flavors! Can’t wait to try this!