Goat Cheese, Pear, & Walnut Recipe

Toast bread

Lightly butter one side of each sourdough slice with half of the softened butter (about 1 tbs total). Heat a skillet over medium heat and toast the buttered sides until golden and crisp, 2–3 minutes per side. Alternatively, toast in a toaster or oven until edges are golden.

Prepare goat cheese spread

In a small bowl, crumble the stone hollow goat cheese and stir with honey, the remaining 1 tbs softened butter, and lemon juice until smooth but still slightly textured. Season with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust honey or lemon to balance creaminess and brightness.

Spread 1 generous tablespoon of the prepared goat cheese mixture onto the untoasted side of two toasted bread slices (the side opposite the browned side). Reserve remaining spread to add more if desired.

Prepare pear

Core and thinly slice the pear into 4–6 long slices. If pear is very ripe, slice slightly thicker to avoid tearing. Toss slices lightly with the 1 tsp olive oil and a pinch of sea salt so they gloss and season evenly.

Toast walnuts

In a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the walnuts, stirring frequently, until fragrant and slightly darker, 2–3 minutes. Remove to a plate to cool slightly, then roughly chop if needed.

Arrange pear slices evenly over the goat cheese-spread bread (two slices). Sprinkle the toasted chopped walnuts over the pear, dividing them between the two assembled slices.

Add greens and finish

Top the pears and walnuts with a small handful (about 10 g) of baby arugula or mixed greens per sandwich half. Drizzle the finished olive oil (about 1 tsp) over the greens and add an additional 1/4–1/2 tsp cracked black pepper if desired.

Close and serve

Place the remaining two toasted bread slices on top, toasted side out if desired. Press gently, slice the sandwich in half on a diagonal, and serve immediately while bread is still slightly warm. Optionally serve with extra honey on the side for drizzling.