Caramelized Pear and Sage Crostini

Sweet pears and sharp blue cheese create an exciting yet homey appetizer. Serve them with sparkling wine, or a slightly sweet white wine. Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes. Notes: Baguette slices can be toasted up to 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container until ready to use.

Yield: Makes 16 crostini

Ingredients

• 4  tablespoons  butter, divided
• 3  ripe Bartlett pears, cored, peeled, and chopped
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  white or whole-wheat baguette
• 6  sage leaves, chopped
• 1/4  cup  crumbled mild blue cheese
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Melt 3 tbsp. butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add pears and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until pears are soft, about 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cut baguette into 16 slices (1/4 in. thick; see Notes). Spread slices with remaining 1 tbsp. butter and arrange on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake slices until well toasted, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. When pears are soft, stir in sage and remove from heat. Top toasted baguette slices with pear mixture and blue cheese. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve warm.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per crostino.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

90 (40% from fat)

Protein:

1.8g

Fat:

4g (sat 2.3)

Carbohydrate:

12g

Fiber:

1.1g

Sodium:

217mg

Cholesterol:

9.3mg