Pear, feta & walnut crostini
on Feb 02, 2015, Updated Nov 23, 2022
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There is a distinct possibility that I will turn into a chunk of feta cheese before this week’s out. Yes, my serious feta cheese addiction has grabbed ahold of me with a vengeance since Mr. Scrummy and I arrived in Greece for a little visit last week. It doesn’t help that there are at least 10 varieties in even the smallest local supermarket and that you can buy big tubs of it for pretty much the same price as a tiddly little package back at home.
So what’s a girl to do but try to find a way to channel her ‘little problem’ into something lovely for today’s post? And this pear, feta & walnut crostini is what I came up with …
The inspiration for this, as for the roasted red pepper & eggplant dip in my last post, came from last week’s local market trip. As well as scooping up piles of huge ripe tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and olives for our daily (well, OK, twice daily) Greek salads, we also couldn’t resist grabbing a few of these cute little rosy pears. The idea of using them for a topping on a crostini came to me as I took a look around our kitchen here and was reminded of the lack of baking dishes, equipment and appliances. I realised that I would probably have to keep what I make on the simpler side while we’re over here … not that this is any kind of hardship! The fresh ingredients I picked up don’t really need, after all, a whole lot doing to them to make them shine.
Feta cheese and fruit and feta cheese and honey are tried and tested combinations, so I was pretty sure that combining ripe slices of pear with feta cheese and honey would go down a treat! I’ve also seen walnuts thrown into a salad with pears and cheese before, so walnuts got added to my crostini, as well. As did a little touch of fresh mint which I thought would add a welcome hint of colour and ‘oomph’ to the final taste.
The resulting crostini made a very satisfying late morning snack for myself and Mr. Scrummy. Very satisfying indeed. Just imagine those juicy, ripe pears contrasting with the sourness of the cheese, the crunchy earthiness of the walnuts, the sweet hit of honey and the touch of freshness from the chopped mint leaves. Am I making you hungry for a little snack yet?
Before piling on my toppings, I prepared my crostini bread in the traditional Italian way (and who can argue with that?) by toasting it on both sides under the grill and then rubbing it briefly with a clove of garlic and drizzling it with good quality olive oil. Then all I did was lay a slice of feta and slices of pear on each piece of toast before drizzling with honey and scattering over walnut pieces and shredded bits of fresh mint. The crostini looked very pretty like this for serving, but to be honest when I ate it I ended up breaking up the slice of feta and scattering it all over the crostini rather than keeping it at one end. If you prefer the sound of getting a bit of everything in each bite, then simply crumble up your feta and scatter your toppings a bit more haphazardly over the toast than you see in these pictures of mine.
Mmm … divine. Honey is sometimes known as the food of the gods, but I’m going to stick my neck out here and say that this is the crostini of the gods! Enjoy!
Pear, feta & walnut crostini
Ingredients
- slices of fresh crusty bread e.g. ciabatta
- 1 garlic clove, peeled and chopped in half
- good quality extra virgin olive oil
- thin -ish slices of feta cheese
- 1 or 2 pears, chopped in half, cored and sliced into thin slices
- honey to drizzle
- walnuts, broken roughly into pieces
- fresh mint, chopped into thin shreds
Instructions
- Toast the bread on both sides under a grill. Then rub over briefly with the cut side of the garlic and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Now top each piece of toast with a slice of feta and 4 or 5 of the pear slices. Drizzle with honey, then scatter over the walnut pieces and mint. Serve while the toast is still warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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Wow, Helen, these are so delicious! I have all the ingredients handy and i did this for myself for lunch today. Was a great experience. I’tried blue cheese and pears, and goat cheese and pears, but never feta and pear. Will do it tonight again. My mother has a birthday and that’s a great start for a small celebration!
Thank you!!
PS. Yes, olive oil adds a special dimension to this quick and simple appetizer.
I’m so happy that I gave you an idea for your mother’s party! I really hope you enjoy it!
TEN DIFFERENT KINDS OF FETA?! How does a person choose?! I guess you don’t…you just eat all of it. I approve.
Hahaha … yup, you just pick them at random and work your way through the lot! They do vary a lot, though – some are creamier than others, others have more of a goat cheese type taste. I love them all!
Ha, you crack me up Helen – “I will turn into a chunk of feta cheese before this week’s out”
This app looks so delicious and elegant! I love everything about it – a little salty, a little sweet, all on a nice crusty bread… YUM!
Aw, thanks, Kathleen! Very happy to have entertained you and … happy too that you approve of this little snack!
Helen I most certainly could make a full meal of these crostini! Pear + honey + walnut sounds divine. Plus the feta! 🙂
Well, I must admit I ate a few too many of these for my ‘snack’. They were definitely worth spoiling my lunch over, though 🙂
Love the flavors of this crostini – some of my favorites! I want a bite (or three)!!
Glad you like these, Marissa … I had more than 3 bites, I can tell you!
Indeed! This crostini sounds fabulous; love the combination of flavors and all the love that went into this snack. You’ve totally got my stomach grumbling Helen!
That’s what I like to hear! The combo works really well, I must say – I do hope you try something similar some time!
Oh, yeah! This trio of ingredients sounds fabulous!!! I’d be delighted with a pile of your crostini for my dinner. And lucky you with all the feta varieties to choose from 🙂
I know! Unfortunately it’s only for this week, though, then it’s back to icy and small-packets-of-feta-ed England!
helen – love how refreshing pear can be combined with so many things. And, I could certainly make a meal of of these alone! Nice job, as usual!
Thanks so much, Lori – making these reminded me that I really don’t eat pears often enough!
I ADORE this flavour combo you have going! And your photos…..WOW! Helen, what’s happened to you? Greece has changed you! 🙂 So jealous about all the feta varieties you got to check out! 🙂
Hey, thanks for the compliment on the photos. That’s Greek light for you!! (and it was a dark day here, as well) Back to dark old England next week, though, unfortunately …
Sometimes I feel like snacks for dinner are totally acceptable (and this leaves room for some of your lovely desserts…..I’m thinking the angel food cake and strawberry kabobs should do the trick, those were truly fab!!) But pear, feta and walnut sounds like a little party trio on a crostini to me. Delightful! I’m ready to dig in =) Thanks Helen!!
Oh, snacks for dinner are TOTALLY acceptable! And yes, I could certainly make room for some strawberry kebabs afterwards!
I love that you called these crostini toppings ‘a party trio on a crostini’ … I take that as a big compliment. Thanks, Laura!