Liptauer Cheese Crostini Recipe
A couple book signing pics. And in an effort to expand my crostini repertoire, I made this flavor-packed liptauer cheese spread on black bread crostini - goat cheese, paprika, capers, pickles, onions.
I decided to make something new for my signing at Omnivore Books a couple weeks back. Something tasty, tiny, and a little off-beat. I've been stuck in a bit of a crostini rut, and tend to make little goat cheese crostini with yellow split peas and chives anytime I want to avoid the use of plates or utensils. People love them, they're bite-sized, and you can make the components ahead of time. That said, I thought it was time to expand the crostini repertoire and I started thinking about doing a version with black bread and liptauer cheese. For those of you unfamiliar with liptauer cheese, its typically a paprika-kissed, cheese spread punctuated by things like capers, pickles, caraway seeds, mustard, onions. Spread across a slab of dark rye bread or cracker, its the perfect accompaniment to a pint.
Before I get into the specifics related to my liptauer experiments, I thought I'd share a few pics from the Omnivore signing. Thank you all for coming out. It goes without saying - it was fun meeting each of you, and I particularly loved all the little notes, handwritten recipes, and homemade treats you left me. I have a couple more signings coming up related to the release of Super Natural Every Day, all with friends looped in. There's the one in Portland with Kim Boyce. I'll be at the Remodelista Local Seattle Market, and then with Lara Ferroni at her lovely studio later that evening.
On the liptauer front - I played around quite a bit trying to get this the way I imagined. People seem to use all different kinds of cheese in their liptauer spreads - cream cheese, sheep milk cheese, cottage cheese, etc. I tried a bunch as well. Let's just say ricotta was a bad, bad call. But I liked my goat cheese version, so that's what I'm sharing here. The consistency is thick, spreadable, but not too loose for crostini. As far as all the other add-ins, I just went with what tasted good to me. Try it this way for starters, and if you think you might like more mustard flavor, or paprika, adjust the next time around. The kicker at the end of this story is this. I walked out the door to go to the signing - ice, Prosecco, purse, cellphone, postcards, goat cheese crostini - check. check. check. Left the liptauer plate on the coffee table. :/
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Liptauer Cheese Crostini
Use room temperature butter and cheese. It helps the spread cream up beautifully. And slice your bread much more thinly than what I've done here. I could only track down pre-sliced black bread the day I shot these. You can make the spread a few days ahead of time if needed.
8 ounces / goat cheese, room temperature
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 big pinches of salt, or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, toasted & crushed
1 teaspoon capers, rinsed, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onion
1 tablespoon chopped picklesa few dozen thin crostini or crackers*
one bunch of chopped chives, to serve
Cream the goat cheese in a large bowl wither by hand or with a hand blender. Add the butter and incorporate that as well. Add the paprika, mustard, and salt and cream some more. Now, by hand, beat in the caraway seeds, capers, shallots, and pickles. Taste and adjust until everything is to your liking.
Assemble no more than an hour before serving, so your bread doesn't go soft. Spread the liptauer across each crostini, and sprinkle with chives.
Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
*You can make crostini simply by tossing pieces of bite-sized, thinly sliced bread with a couple glugs of olive oil and the placing them on a baking sheet in a 350F/180C oven until deeply toasted. Cool and store in an airtight jar until ready to use.
Prep time: 10 minutes
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Comments
Sp pretty! Perfect appetizer on Easter Sunday!
At the beginning of the post you said you slather goat cheese on bread with green lentils, topped with chives. That sounds really amazing. Do you mix the goat cheese with lentils first? I have very little experience cooking with lentils, but this inspires me to try!
This snack recipe or even lunch with fruit looks like a good way to use up last season's goat cheese, which I make and still have some in the freezer. Homemade fresh goat cheese is the consistency of farmer's cheese, at least the way I make it, and the combination of flavors in this recipe will remedy any staleness in the thawed cheese. We also make a dark bread at home in our electric breadmaker, and combining the two will be a treat!
who took the black & white photos? With what camera? Very nice.
Looks like delicious spread love your recipes and ur amazing photos Heidi! Happy belated birthday. Best of luck and success with your new book amazing and loved it
i have never heard of liptauer cheese, but based on the ingredients i guarantee i am going to love it. i hope your signings bring you down to LA!
I love the idea of this spread and paired with the black bread it sounds wonderful- simple, earthy and elegant- the combination you always do so well! I wish you'd come to NY for a signing ;) Also, you mention in the book that you have a favorite prosecco- would you mind sharing it's name?
This spread sounds amazing. I'm always looking for more things to dunk bread, crackers, and pita into. About the pickles: what kind should go in--regular dill pickles?
I have never heard of liptauer cheese, it sounds great! I love how you can take something as simple as crostini and turn it into something so unique.
The crostini's look amazing and delicious, but more importantly...hurray! You're coming to Portland!
I love your pony tail that kid drew!
As always, a wonderful post. Can't wait to try the crostini. You have been quite an inspiration to me. Your photography is so evocative - so warm and unique. What kind of film do you use?
I love this site! I've tried so many of these recipes (albeit, with adjustments for vegetables available in Indiana and my college student budget) in the two years I've been living off-campus, and I've learned so much about cooking and different ingredients. Not to mention, I've been eating SUPER well. :) I'm graduating with my bachelor's in a few weeks and moving to a new grad school in the fall, and I'm definitely asking my family for your book as a graduation present. It will be a fantastic addition for my cooking library.
This sounds really tasty! Love all the precious notes you received. Thanks for sharing!
I love all of your posts and recipes. Goat cheese is one of my favorite. Urgently go to the kitchen to cook this wonderful spread:-)
I'd love to see the entire recipe for the Stroopwafels...my husband and I fell in love with them last year on a trip through The Netherlands.
First, a hearty congratulations on your book's success. I finally picked up my copy on my lunch break yesterday and got to read some of it on my bus ride home. One of the few moments I wished my commute was just a tad longer. Second, ooh, tangy, salty goat cheese and capers shmeared on earthy, dark crostini. Another recipe bookmarked for after Passover. Thanks again!
I love a bit of crostini as it simply must go with a nice cool glass of wine. No other option.
Lovely recipe and photos. Have never tried this at all before. I have a question though. How would sweet pickles go with this?
I plan to make these soon! They look amazing. I have an obsession with goat cheese. :)
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