recipe from: cookie mag
INGREDIENTS
· 2 1/2 cups green or red grapes, halved
· 1 tbsp. finely chopped rosemary
· 3 tbsp. EVOO
· 1 lb. homemade pizza dough (read next post for recipe)
· 8 oz. soft goat cheese
· kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
· preheat oven to 450 degrees
· toss together the grapes and rosemary, and 1 tbsp. of the olive oil, set aside
· divide the dough into thirds and stretch each portion into a 10 inch circle
· place the rounds in the oven until cooked through, about 6 minutes
· distribute the grapes, spoonfuls of the goat cheese, and the remaining olive oil on the pizzas
· heat pizza in the oven until cheese begins to melt, about 5 minutes
This dish is a grown-up take on the toaster oven pizza. I haven't tried it yet but I have been keeping this recipe close at hand with hopes of making it real soon. If you are not a fruit + savory person, you could replace the grapes with grape tomatoes, sliced the same way. That's what is fun about homemade pizzas, you can mix and match the toppings to create you own masterpiece.
Mangia!
I tried this hors d'oeuvre for the first time at one of my friend's parties. I loved how fresh and pretty the dried apricots looked on the plate and they tasted even better. The bright orange color of the apricots with the white of the goat cheese and the pop of green from the pistachio just looked like art on a plate. I am a graphic designer so these small details appeal to me. She got the idea from a local Kansas City caterer, Moxie catering.
After purchasing some organic produce at the Santa Monica market over Christmas, I decided to incorporate my fresh finds into this dish. I used the organic dried apricots, organic dried elephant heart plums, and the pistachio nuts that we bought from the California pistachio farmer. This hors d'oeuvre is quick and easy and doesn't need a lot of preparation. They were a hit at the New Year's party as there were none left on the plate.
The lady that sold us the pistachios mentioned that they would bring us good luck in the new year to come. I am not familiar with the pistachio being a New Year's tradition, but I decided to make these anyway. Whether they will bring about good fortune or not, your taste buds will definitely think so...
INGREDIENTS
· dried apricots (or any other dried fruit)
· goat cheese
· shelled pistachio nuts
INSTRUCTIONS (super easy)
· Lay the dried fruit flat on a serving plate. Pat a small amount of goat cheese into the center of each dried fruit. Press the pistachio nuts into the goat cheese one per piece.
Happy 2009!
