It was a rain, rain go away Friday. Damp, dark and dreary. But this simple little recipe brought the sunshine in. A recipe for an elegant bite that created itself, when a bag of treats from the Farmer's Market tumbled together on Dorie's counter. Happenstance has a way of doing that.
Spread the cheese over the bread or toasts. Top each with a few berry halves. Sprinkle with black pepper and salt. When it is close to serving time, finish with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar.
Notes from Dorie
"I like this tartine with a chilled white wine, preferably one from the Loire Valley, where chenin blanc is the reigning grape and goat the roi of cheeses. But if you end up using cherries or dried fruits, you might want to pour red wine. In fact, topped with dried fruit, these tartines would make a nice addition to a cheese platter served before dessert."
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table.
More from this classic cookbook:
Photo Credit: Julie T Cecchini
|
12 |
slices baguette, each about ⅓ inch thick |
|
~ |
About ¾ cup soft, spreadable goat cheese |
|
~ |
About 16 ripe strawberries, hulled and cut in half |
|
~ |
Coarsely ground or crushed black pepper |
|
~ |
Balsamic vinegar (optional) |
Steps
- The
first day I made this tartine, I just cut slices off the baguette and
used them fresh, and you can do the same, or you can treat the baguette
as you do for other tartines and grill or toast just one side of it. If
you warm the bread, let it cool a bit so that the heat won’t melt the
cheese.
- Spread the goat cheese over
the bread and top each tartine with a few berry halves. Sprinkle with
black pepper and finish with a couple of drops of balsamic vinegar, if
you’d like.
- These should be made as close to serving time as possible.
Notes
I
like this tartine with a chilled white wine, preferably one from the
Loire Valley, where chenin blanc is the reigning grape and goat the roi
of cheeses. But if you end up using cherries or dried fruits, you might
want to pour red wine. In fact, topped with dried fruit, these tartines
would make a nice addition to a cheese platter served before dessert.