Recipe: Burst cherry Toms And Pancetta Canapes
Lisa Fielding's original canape recipe satisfied with a combination of acid, smoke, salt and garlic.
I'm always having to come up with fresh ideas for canapes, and believe me when I tell you, it’s challenging week after week. So, when I find something that’s extra delish I file it away under "keeper" so I can reprise it for future clients down the road. This combination of ingredients hit all the feels on the palate with its combination of acid, smoke, salt and garlic. It comes together fast, and even without piling it on crostini with goat cheese, I could eat it out of the pan as a late night snack. Or make a batch and keep it in the refrigerator to use on toast in the morning alongside scrambled eggs. Did I mention how versatile this dish is? The fact that there is so little prep should make all busy cooks elated, as well. Upon greater scrutiny, this isn’t just a keeper — it should be a home staple. And as summer is right around the corner, you can experiment with heirloom cherry toms for sweeter results. Bon appetit!
Burst Cherry Toms and Pancetta Canapes
Serves 12
8 oz. pancetta cut into small dice
1 basket cherry tomatoes rinsed (try to use organic, farm fresh)
4 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ medium sized onion, diced
½ to 1 tsp. chili flakes (depending on your spice levels)
8 oz. goat cheese
1 baguette sliced thin for crostini
Olive oil
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lay baguette slices on top. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, bake for 10 minutes until golden. Remove from oven, set aside and allow to cool.
In a skillet, over medium heat, sauté diced pancetta until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Blot up excess fat but leave enough in pan to sauté remaining ingredients (a glossy layer).
Over medium heat, add garlic and onion to pan and sauté until translucent. Don’t brown, as ingredients will continue cooking while you burst tomatoes. Add whole cherry tomatoes to the pan and toss to coat in oil. Allow them to start to blister and turn them in the pan again. You want them to cook until they collapse under the pressure of a spoon pressed gently against them. Be careful — their juices really pop when they burst and your apron will suffer. Once the tomatoes have reached this texture, add the pancetta and chili flakes to the pan. Taste for salt and add if necessary. Cook for one more minute until all ingredients are blended. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Assembly: Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on each crostini. Top with tomato mixture and serve.
