This tasty appetizer can be prepped ahead and quickly assembled. It’s the perfect combination of sweet & salty, and is sure to delight!
Recipe: Fig Toast
Equipment
- A non-stick pan
Ingredients
- 8 slices Bread
- 50 gms Butter
- 4 Figs
- 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 200 gms Paneer (Cottage Cheese)
- 2 – 3 tbs Greek Yogurt [Substitute: any thick yogurt or fresh cream]
- 2 tsp Chili Sea Salt [Substitute: Chili flakes, Paprika and Sea Salt]
- ½ tsp Dried Dill
- 4 tsp Honey
Instructions
- Crumble the paneer into a medium sized bowl. Now add 2 tbs of the Greek yogurt, chili sea salt1, dill and stir well. Taste check2 for seasoning and texture! Adjust the amount of sea salt and yogurt if needed.
- Melt the butter in the microwave for 10 – 15 seconds. Slice the edges off the bread and cut each slice in half. Use a teaspoon to drizzle a few drops of butter on each piece of bread (both sides) and toast them on a pan till golden3.
- Slice the figs length-wise; each fruit should be cut into about 6 slices. Make sure that you don’t slice them too thin to avoid them tearing later on when grilled4.
- Combine the remaining butter, cinnamon powder and sliced figs in a bowl and stir gently. Now grill the sliced figs on a nonstick pan for 1 – 2 minutes on each side or until they soften caramelize slightly5.
- You now have all 3 elements that make up these flavorsome bites: the crunchy base, the salty-creamy paneer and those sweet caramelized figs! To assemble, spread about a tablespoon of paneer on each piece of toast and top with 3 – 4 slices of figs. Finally, drizzle a little honey over each toastie, plate and serve.
Notes:
1 Used some of this awesome chili sea salt that was a gift from a friend. You can definitely substitute 1/4th tsp of paprika, ½ tsp of chili flakes and a few pinches of sea salt instead. Yes, using sea salt instead of regular salt makes a slight difference to the flavor, but if you don’t have any on hand, go ahead and use regular salt!
2 When taste testing the paneer mix, what you are looking for is a slightly salty mix with a creamy consistency that will contrast well with the toast. Adjust the amount of sea salt and yogurt if needed. Dil adds a nice sharp flavor, and is quite strong! So be sure to use it sparingly. Here is a before and after picture of the paneer mix:
3You can alternatively toast the bread in the oven. Here’s what your toasties should look like once golden:
You can do this step ahead and store the toasties in an airtight container once they’ve cooled so that they stay crunchy! However, toasting them right before you serve does make the bites just a little bit better since they are fresh and warm.
4This is roughly the width you should slice the figs into; a little thicker is fine! Just use more figs if you are slicing them thicker.
5This is the colour you should be looking for when grilling the figs. Use two teaspoons, or a teaspoon and a silicone spatula, to turn the figs over when grilling them. They soften quite a bit as they cook and could tear. Also take them off the pan gently. You can definitely grill these ahead and store them in a closed container. Just heat them in the microwave for 20 – 30 seconds before assembling your appetizers so that they are nice and warm.
The inspiration for this recipe, was a delicious fig and ricotta brioche that we had for breakfast at a Spanish restaurant. Wanted to put together a version that uses easily available local ingredients, and is quick to make. Let us know how this turns out when you make it at home!
Looks super delicious!
haha, thank you!
👌
👍
Thank you!