Whipped Brie & Nduja Crostini.
Creamy, rich, spicy and sweet - you’ll fine it difficult to stop with these little crostini! they pair perfectly with this Loire Valley Crément from Forest Wines.
Makes 10-15 pieces
N.B. You will likely have some whipped brie leftover, so double up on the baguette etc if you’re serving a big group. Otherwise, it’s absolutely delicious served on a multitude of other dishes (what can’t be improved with a little cheese & cream?!)
Ingredients.
1 small baguette
A few tbsp olive oil, a spray bottle is handy but not essential
Salt
200g French brie
Approx. 75ml double cream
Approx. 100g Nduja paste
A few sprigs of fresh Rosemary
A few tbsp of honey, a (runny) floral variety works best
Equipment.
sharp knife & chopping board
large oven tray with grill rack
food processor
piping bag (optional, but helpful)
Method.
Make the whipped brie: Start with the brie very cold. Use a vegetable peeler or a very shapr knife to carefully cut off the rind, trying to preserve as much of the cheese as possible. Popping it in the freezer for a few minutes can help to firm up the cheese and make this step easier
Once the rind has been removed, leave the remaining cheese at room temp for an hour or so, until it’s very soft, then add to the food processor along with the cream and a pinch of salt, and blend on high until it’s creamy and fluffy. If it’s too thick, add a little more cream to help it blend. This will take a few minutes to achieve a super creamy and smooth texture. Be patient, but don’t worry if you have a few lumps in there at the end - you won’t notice in the final dish
Transfer to a piping bag (if using) or a bowl and leave to firm up in the firdge whilst you prepare the rest of the ingredients. This can be done a day or 2 in advance, if need be.
Prepare the crostini: Preheat the oven to 200c
Cut the baguette into thin rounds (no more than 1cm thick). Arrange on a grill rack, brush or spray lightly with oil on both sides, and season with a little salt. Bake for 10 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and crisp. This can also be done a few hours in advance if needed - just leave covered at room temp
Assemble: Cut the end off the piping back and pipe the whipped brie generously onto each crostini in any pattern you like. (Alternatively, you can spoon it on). Make a little dent in the top of each one, and add a little spoon of nduja paste. Drizzle generously with honey, and finish with a few leaves of fresh rosemary. Serve immediately or keep in the fridge for up to 2hrs (the crostini will soften slightly but they’re still delicious)
