Spanish appetizer with roasted pepper, goat cheese and honey on crostini Recipe
These are small tapas-style bites: crunchy baguette crostini topped with sweet roasted peppers, creamy goat cheese and a drizzle of honey. In Spanish bars, similar snacks often sit on the counter so you can grab one to go with a glass of wine. The flavor balances sweetness, saltiness and a light acidity, a bit like a dessert but still savory.
This simple tapas-style appetizer combines just a few ingredients into a surprisingly complex bite: smoky-sweet roasted peppers, tangy goat cheese and floral honey on crisp, garlicky bread. It looks elegant on a platter, is easy to eat with your fingers and pairs perfectly with wine, making it ideal for casual gatherings or more festive occasions.
Chef's tips
Roast a larger batch of peppers at once and use the extras in salads, sandwiches or pasta. When rubbing the crostini with garlic, don’t press too hard—too much raw garlic can overpower the delicate balance of flavors. If your goat cheese is very soft, let it chill briefly in the fridge so it’s easier to slice or crumble.
How to serve
Arrange the crostini in slightly overlapping rows on a wooden board or large platter. Garnish with a few sprigs of fresh thyme or small bowls of olives and nuts in between. Serve as part of a tapas evening alongside Spanish tortilla, marinated olives and thinly sliced chorizo or serrano ham.
Ingredients
- baguette - 1 piece
- bell pepper - 2 pieces
- goat cheese - 150 g
- honey - 2 tablespoons
- olive oil - 3 tablespoons
- balsamic vinegar - 1 tablespoon
- garlic - 1 clove
- salt
- black pepper
- thyme - 1 teaspoon
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (top and bottom heat). Wash and dry the peppers, then place them whole on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
- Roast the peppers for 20–25 minutes, turning them every 8–10 minutes, until the skin is very wrinkled and almost black in spots.
- Transfer the roasted peppers to a bowl, cover with a plate or foil and set aside for 10 minutes to steam. Then peel off the skin, remove the cores and stems, and cut the flesh into strips.
- Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, the balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt, pepper and the thyme to the bowl with the pepper strips. Gently mix and set aside for 10 minutes to marinate.
- Slice the baguette into slices about 1.5 cm thick. Arrange them on a baking tray and lightly brush the tops with olive oil (about 1–2 tablespoons in total).
- Place the slices in an oven preheated to 200°C for 5–7 minutes, until they are lightly golden and crisp on the edges but still soft in the center.
- Peel the garlic. While the crostini are still warm, gently rub the cut clove of garlic over the top to give them a light aroma.
- Slice the goat cheese or crumble it into smaller pieces so it’s easy to arrange on the crostini.
- Place some marinated pepper strips on each crostini, then add a piece of goat cheese on top.
- Just before serving, drizzle each crostini with a little honey (a few drops) and, if you like, sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.
Storage
Najlepiej przygotować tyle grzanek, ile zostanie zjedzonych od razu. Jeśli coś zostanie, przechowuj w lodówce maksymalnie 1 dzień i podgrzej krótko w piekarniku, ale ser i miód mogą się rozpłynąć, a pieczywo zmięknie.
