Pear and whipped goat's cheese crostini
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Pear and whipped goat's cheese crostini
All the elements of this elegant starter can be prepared in advance, then assembled and served within minutes
Prep time: 20 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Spencer Lengsfield
Ingredients
- 1 x 400g stonebaked ciabatta
- 3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to serve
- 50g hazelnuts
- 125g soft goat’s cheese*
- 100g soft cheese*
- 2 tbsp milk
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 pears, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- a few thyme sprigs, leaves picked
- sea salt flakes
Step by step
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Preheat the oven to 200°C, fan 180°C, gas 6. Slice the ciabatta diagonally into 1cm-thick slices, then arrange on a baking tray. Drizzle over the olive oil, then transfer to the oven and bake until crisp, around 10 minutes. Put the hazelnuts on a smaller tray and put in the oven at the same time for 10 minutes. Roughly chop the toasted hazelnuts and allow the ciabatta to cool.
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Meanwhile, beat together the goat’s cheese, soft cheese, milk, lemon zest and some seasoning in a medium bowl using a hand-held electric whisk. Once everything is smooth and has come together, spoon the mixture into a piping bag (or a plastic food bag with a small hole snipped off the corner).
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Carefully pipe the mixture over the toasted ciabatta. Arrange the pear slices on top. Finish with a drizzle of honey, the hazelnuts, thyme and a pinch of sea salt flakes.
*Check your cheese is vegetarian, if required.
