Best Bruschetta Recipes- Brie & Asian Pear Bruschetta

I’m a huge cheese lover, particularly of the soft, creamy kinds. I wanted to create an interesting twist that brought together my favorite elements from Italy, France and Asia using the simplest of ingredients and relatively no technique. It’s no secret that I could live very happily off of warm, crusty baguettes and that I have an obsession with all things bruschetta and crostini. In this recipe, I bring together the creaminess of Brie with the juicy tartness of Asian pear and place it atop slices of dense baguette. A match made in heaven.

Makes 12 Slices

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium sized white or yellow onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon honey

1 loaf French baguette

1 package Brie or Camembert cheese, sliced thinly

1 medium sized Asian pear

1/2 teaspoon salt plus 1/4 teaspoon for sprinkling

Method

In a non-stick pan, heat the olive oil on high heat. Sauté the onions for 1 to 2 minutes until translucent. Lower the heat to medium high.

Add the honey and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the onions, sautéing until the honey has dissolved evenly. Allow the onions to rest for a couple of minutes to create a beautiful caramelization.

While the onions are caramelizing, slice the French baguette into thin diagonal slices and arrange on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Preheat oven to high broil. Remove the onions from the heat and allow to cool for a minute.

Peel the Asian pear all the way around. Cut the pear into thin half moon shapes. Set aside.

Spoon a little bit of the caramelized onion onto each slice of baguette. Then top each baguette with one slice of the Brie. Slide the baking sheet into the oven on a rack close to the broiler and heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the top and edges begin to turn golden. Watch carefully as ovens vary in strength and the difference of just a few seconds can mean going from perfect to charcoal. Remove the baking sheet and allow the crostini to cool for a just a minute.

Assemble two slices of Asian pear on each baguette slice on the diagonal. Sprinkle salt very lightly over all the Asian pears. Serve immediately.