Description
These Parmesan Crusted Crostini with Pear, Walnuts & Hot Honey are a delightful appetizer featuring crunchy baguette slices topped with melted Parmigiano Reggiano, sweet pears, toasted walnuts, and a spicy-sweet drizzle of hot honey. Perfect for entertaining, this elegant recipe combines savory, sweet, and spicy flavors with a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Crostini
- 1 French baguette, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch slices
- 3/4–1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (about 3 ounces grated)
Toppings
- 2 Bartlett pears, cores removed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- Hot honey, for drizzling
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 375ºF (190ºC) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- Prepare the cheese base: Using a microplane or the small side of a box grater, finely grate the Parmigiano Reggiano cheese in an even layer directly onto the parchment paper. This will create a crispy, cheesy crust for the crostini.
- Bake the crostini: Arrange the baguette slices on top of the grated cheese layer. Bake them in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese beneath the bread turns golden brown and crispy.
- Add toppings: Once the crostini are cool enough to handle, flip each piece over so the crispy cheese crust is on top. Place one to two thin slices of Bartlett pear on each crostini, sprinkle with toasted walnuts, drizzle with hot honey, and finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt for a perfect balance of flavors and texture.
- Serve immediately: These crostini are best enjoyed fresh from the oven while the cheese crust is crispy and the pears add a fresh sweetness combined with the spicy honey and crunchy walnuts.
Notes
- For extra crunch, toast the walnuts yourself by baking them at 350ºF for about 5-7 minutes before chopping.
- If Bartlett pears are not available, Anjou or Bosc pears work well too.
- Adjust the amount of hot honey drizzled to control the spiciness and sweetness.
- Serve these crostini as an elegant appetizer or a sophisticated snack for gatherings.
- To make gluten-free, substitute the baguette with gluten-free bread slices.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 crostini
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 10mg
