A couple of weeks ago we had a friend coming over to hang out after our Saturday night church service. I knew we wouldn’t be home until 7:30 and I was going to be crunched for time so I decided to make a couple of easy appetizers.
A quick search of my Pinterest boards revealed Baked Fontina from Barefoot Contessa. Using crusty French bread to dip garlic and herb infused cheese sounded like my kind of appetizer. Besides being delicious Baked Fontina is also really easy to make. Just chop the garlic, herbs and cheese, throw them in a shallow dish and drizzle with olive oil. A few minutes under the broiler then beautiful bubbly cheese dip is served!
I’ve made this twice now and it has been inhaled by our guests on both occasions. The flavors of the garlic and herbs mix perfectly with the cheese. It’s a recipe that’s so simple yet so easy and flavorful. I’ve served it as an appetizer with a steak dinner and paired with bacon wrapped dates for a dinner of appetizers.
Both times I’ve halved the recipe below. The first time I crammed to much cheese in the dish so it didn’t melt completely but was browned on the top so I had to remove it from the oven. A half recipe fits perfectly in a round Pyrex pie dish.
Again, whether you are hosting a holiday party or just getting a few friends together for a gift exchange, this is a great appetizer for entertaining. It would be great to serve on Christmas day while your guests await the main meal too!
ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Fontina cheese, chopped in 1 inch cubes
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 crusty French baguette
instructions
- Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack on the top position.
- Scatter the cubes of Fontina evenly in a 12 inch circular pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cheese. Combine the garlic, thyme, and rosemary and sprinkle it over the cheese and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and place the pan under the broiler for about 6 minutes. The cheese should be melted and bubbling and starting to brown.
- Serve the baked Fontina straight out of the pan with sliced bread.
Recipe from Barefoot Contessa