This easy appetizer with brie and grapes crostini is such a delight to make on the holidays. The combination of flavors from cheese, to fruits, nuts, honey and olives all combined in few bites over toasted baguette makes for a great treat especially when accompanied with some wine and shared with great friends!
An Easy Appetizer for the Holidays
This is such an easy appetizer for the holidays. You can make enough for few people or a crowd with minimal effort.
My process is very simple:
- Slice baguette in about 20 or so slices, about half an inch thick approximately.
- Place bread slices over parchment paper in a baking tray. Brush lightly with olive oil. Toast in the oven until the edges become golden brown. (about 12 minutes)
- Slice grapes and kalamata olives, add them to a bowl. Add some fresh thyme and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix them well.
- Slice brie cheese. And chop or crumble the pistachios.
- Then assemble the appetizer. Usually I add cheese over crostini. Then spoon over grapes and olives mix. Finally, I drizzle honey over all of them. And at the end I top off with pistachios so they stick over the honey:))).
- Repeat because everyone will want more:)
Variations
There are several variations you can make for this recipe. First, swap any ingredients to what you have available. Then you can add flavors to your liking.
You can roast the grapes if you have extra time, they do taste amazing when roasted. You can also add the cheese over bread the last two minutes you’re toasting it in the oven so it will melt the cheese a bit. Usually, I do this when it’s a very small group and we are gathered around the kitchen island.
Cheese – you can replace brie with camembert, any spreadable cheese of your choice, goat cheese, ricotta etc.
Fruit – you can substitute grapes with strawberries, berries even apples. If you have any homemade jams they’d be great too. For example quince jam or cranberry sauce would be two great example you can add on these crostini (don’t add olives if you add jam).
Nuts – you can swap pistachios for pecans or walnuts.
Wine Pairing – I personally prefer prosecco, chardonnay or pinot noir with this appetizer.
Brie and Grapes Crostini with Pistachios
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 baguette
- 0.5 lb red grapes estimate about 3 grapes per crostino
- 20 kalamata olives
- ¼ wheel brie cheese
- 2 tbsps olive oil, divided I use 1 tbsp of olive oil to brush the bread to toast and the other tbsp to mix olives and grapes.
- 1 tbsp honey
- 3 thyme sprigs more for garnish if desired
- 1 rosemary sprig for garnish
- 2 tbsps pistachios, shelled
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Wash and drain the grapes, slice them and add them to a small mixing bowl.
- Slice kalamata olives, add them to mixing bowl too. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and fresh thyme leaves from the thyme sprigs. Mix and set aside.
- Slice baguette in about 20 slices of about half an inch thickness. Place bread on a parchment paper on the baking tray. Lightly brush the top with olive oil.
- Place bread on the oven, let toast for about 12 minutes until edges are golden brown and bread is crispy.
- While bread is toasting, crush a handful of pistachios on a mortar and pestle.
- Place a slice of brie over bread. Then add a spoon of grape/olives mix. Drizzle honey over the grapes and olives. Then add some pistachio crumble over honey so it sticks to the crostini.
- Garnish with more thyme and some rosemary for both the visual and aroma:). Enjoy with your favorite wine! Happy Holidays:)
Notes
- I estimate about 3 grapes and 1 kalamata olive per crostino.
- Nutrition wise, a serving is 2 crostini per person but I myself can’t stop at just 2:).
Nutrition Label
Nutrition
You definitely can!! My favorite replacements for brie in this recipe would be goat cheese or camembert cheese.
It’s a valid question. Most people in English tend to say crostinis in plural, but technically crostini as a word is already in plural so no need to add the -s if you remember:).
Usually when I toast the baguette, I lightly brush the bread with olive oil or some butter. This layer prevents the bread from absorbing the liquid from fruits etc. Also, brie itself should serve as a layer between grapes, olives and the bread.
If you would like to save this recipe for your Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving or end of year Holiday parties, please save the below image to your boards in Pinterest. Feel free to tag me in social media with a picture of the appetizer you make based on this recipe:). I love seeing variations and other options too. Thank you for reading my blog!!
Instagram: mediterranean_latin_love or Facebook: Mediterranean Latin Love Affair.
Additional Appetizers
I have few other appetizer recipes in my blog you can take a look at:).
- Smoked Salmon Crostini
- Cucumber Crostini
- Red Pepper Dip with Feta Cheese
- Garlic, Yogurt Dip with Cilantro
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