Warm Goat Cheese Recipe

Preheat and slice

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim the baguette and slice on a sharp diagonal into 12–14 slices about 1/2 inch thick.

Brush and season

Arrange slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Lightly brush both sides of each slice with 3 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon coarse sea salt.

Bake

Bake until edges are golden and crisp, 8–10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Remove and let cool slightly on a rack so they remain crisp.

Prepare dates

Pit the Medjool dates and finely chop into small pieces (about 1/4–1/2 inch). If dates are very sticky, toss in a small bowl with a drizzle (about 1 tsp) of olive oil to loosen.

Prepare Asian pear

Wash and core the Asian pear. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, thinly slice the pear into very thin rounds or half-moons (aim for translucent slices). Immediately toss pear slices with 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice to prevent browning and to add brightness.

Soften chèvre

Place 8 oz Sierra Nevada chèvre in a small bowl and stir briefly to a spreadable consistency. If very firm, microwave in 10-second bursts up to 20–30 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes until easy to spread.

Assemble crostini

Spread about 2 tablespoons (adjust as desired) of goat cheese on each crostini slice. Scatter a few pieces of chopped date over the cheese, then top with 2–3 thin pear slices per crostini.

Finish with oil, honey and season

Drizzle each crostini with a little of the extra virgin olive oil (estimate 2 tablespoons across the batch) and a light drizzle of honey if using (about 1 teaspoon total distributed). Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper across the crostini and a pinch of flaky sea salt to finish.

Garnish

Top crostini with microgreens or a few fresh thyme leaves per piece (use about 2 tablespoons total) for color and freshness.

Arrange warm crostini on a platter and serve immediately so the chèvre is soft-warm against the crisp crostini. Provide extra lemon wedges or honey at the table if desired.