Strawberry and Goat Cheese Bruschetta

The name for this tasty little appetizer is all wrong.  It really should be called a Crostini, because the only thing that resembles Bruschetta is the fact that it includes a piece of toasted bread.  After that, the path from this picture to Bruschetta sharply diverge.  But I digress.

As I planned the menu for our guests for Sunday night’s dinner, I started going through a stack of clippings on the kitchen counter, and once this recipe caught my eye, the appetizer was a done deal.

To be quite honest with you, I am not a fan of plain old naked strawberries.  The kids, however, go through a ridiculous amount of them, pint after pint, devouring their juicy goodness when they’re in full season.  As for me, while I don’t like them on their own, strawberries, as part of something else, are quite alright.  And in the case of this recipe, they’re more than alright, they’re magical.

There’s something unique about strawberries that, when added to other ingredients that just don’t make sense, they come alive.  Such is the case of the Strawberries Pazzo that I love so much, and this Crostini (as it will be henceforth known) is exactly the same thing.  I mean, really, who thinks to put goat cheese with strawberries?  I’ll tell you who… the folks at Better Homes & Gardens magazine.  Thank you and amen!

Between the creaminess of the goat cheese, the sweetness of the strawberries, the peppery bite of the arugula and the crisp bite of the toasted baguette … well, eating this well for only a few minutes worth of work should be criminal.  But since it’s not, there’s no reason (well aside, from gluten and allergen issues) that you shouldn’t make these.  Do.  Celebrate the last little bits of what’s left of summer strawberries and give these a go.  I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Strawberry-Goat Cheese Bruschetta Crostini
Recipe courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens magazine, May 2009

1 8-oz. baguette
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 4-oz. log goat cheese (chevre)
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1/2 cup arugula
Olive oil
Sea salt or coarse salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Snipped fresh herbs

1. Heat broiler. Halve baguette crosswise, then lengthwise. Place cut sides up on large baking sheet. Brush with the 1 tablespoon oil. Broil, 3 to 4 inches from heat, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted.

2. Slice and divide cheese among toasts. Top with sliced berries. Broil 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese and berries soften. Remove from broiler; top with arugula. Drizzle additional oil. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and herbs. Makes 4 servings.

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