The beauty of this blue cheese and Asian pear crostini recipe is that you don’t need to fuss so much about the amount of each ingredient you use and instead can focus on quick assembly, presentation, and then, of course, the eating.

If you are short on time before hosting a get-together and need a gourmet appetizer to serve your guests, this recipe pulls through in a snap. It also makes for a light, flavorful quick-fix snack that hits all the spots – sweet, bitter, and savory – at once, always with a dose of sophistication.

What You’ll Need

Because there are so few ingredients, it is crucial that each one is of the highest quality – you (and your guests) will notice if just one of the elements is off, from a stale slice of bread to a low-quality cheese. The better the quality of the ingredients, the more incredible the flavors of this dish turn out.

Aim for a fresh rustic country or French baguette, particularly one without too many air pockets in it in order to avoid the toppings dripping through the width of the slices.

This crostini recipe calls for an Asian pear, and for a reason. Asian pears have a crunchy texture and creamy white flesh. Meanwhile, they are quite robust in nutrition. One large Asian pear contains 116 calories, 9.9 grans of dietary fiber, and 10% of the RDA of vitamin K, 15% of the RDA of copper, 7% of the RDA of potassium, and 14% of the RDA of vitamin C. Asian pears may bear a few bruises and signs of discoloration, but that doesn’t mean the pears themselves have gone bad. Asian pears are also available year round!

Another essential ingredient is blue cheese. Not everyone is a huge fan of blue cheese, but I always chalk that up to context. In the right dish, balanced with the right flavors, blue cheese is an incredibly flavorful and delicious accompaniment. I personally don’t like blue cheese on its own, but when paired with a starch like bread, a touch of sweetness, and an herby finish, it shines! Make sure to purchase a quality cheese; that is, not the cheapest one you find. If you are firmly against mold-spotted blue cheese, then try the Monte Enebro, a Spanish goat cheese that makes for a soft introduction into the world of blue cheese.

Blue Cheese And Asian Pear Crostini Recipe

Serves six to eight

Ingredients

• 1 loaf of rustic bread
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces creamy blue cheese
• 1 Asian pear, thinly sliced
• 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme, stemmed
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• Fleur de sel

Directions

Slice the bread into one-half to one-inch slices. Brush each side of each bread slice with olive oil and place them on a saucepan that has been brought to medium-high heat. Cook the bread slices for one to two minutes on each side, or until slightly browned.

Spread blue cheese atop each slice, followed by two to three slices of the Asian pear. Distribute thyme leaves over the pear layer, drizzle each slice with honey, and finish them off with a light sprinkle of chopped walnuts and salt.

Serve and enjoy!

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