Warm Fig and Goat Cheese Crostini Drizzled in Honey and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This was our appetizer for Friday night's Olmsted dinner at our house and a little something I've been making a few times a week now that figs are in season. We can't get enough!! Since we had 14 people over (Cam and I loved getting to know everyone better!) I wanted to make a simple yet special dinner that could be served family-style. We had these crostini, lemon and garlic marinated chicken that Cam grilled, roasted new summer potatoes and beets with fresh pesto for dipping, a big farmer's market salad and my stone fruit and blackberry cobbler for dessert. It was a good night.

For these crostini, like any simple recipe, the quality of the ingredients makes all the difference. Not everyone has access to a farmer's market or to locally grown fruit, or even to fresh figs (hi friends in Okinawa!), but if you do, you'll almost always find juicier, riper, more flavorful ones than you would at the grocery store.

I rubbed the sourdough bread (feel free to use whichever kind of bread you'd like!) with fresh rosemary, olive oil and sea salt before spreading on goat cheese and popping it in the oven for five minutes to get the bread crispy and the cheese warm. Then a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sliced fresh figs and a good drizzle of honey. So simple and so delicious.

Warm Fig & Goat Cheese Crostini Drizzled in Honey and Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4-6 figs, sliced
4oz goat cheese
1/2 baguette sourdough bread (or whichever kind you prefer!)
extra virgin olive oil
honey
sea salt
1-2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Slice the baguette into about 1/2 inch thick pieces. Generously drizzle olive oil over each piece and sprinkle on a bit of fine sea salt for taste. Rigorously rub in the olive oil and salt with a sprig of rosemary. If pieces of it come off on the bread, all the better. Spread enough goat cheese over each piece of bread to cover it. Use as much as you'd like :) Bake for about 5 minutes on the top rack of the oven, or until the bread has become golden and the cheese soft. Remove from the heat and drizzle on EVOO. Top with slices of fig and drizzle on honey. Serve immediately.