With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about food, gathering, and libations! For those tasked with bringing an appetizer and wine to a party gathering, we asked our tasting room manager, Joey, to share an app and wine pairing that she’ll be serving this holiday season.
Baked Goat Cheese
Move over baked feta, baked goat cheese is coming through! This creamy and flavorful Spanish-style dish will disappear in no time and conveniently pairs well with both red and white wines. Joey recommends a bottle of our 2018 Pinot Grigio or Radiance, a dry red blend.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 1 onion, chopped fine
- Salt and pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced thin
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
-
1 (8- to 10-ounce) log goat cheese
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Directions:
- Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Add onion and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Add garlic, paprika, cumin, pepper flake, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Adjust the oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler.
- Place goat cheese log between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Flatten cheese into 1-inch-thick disk, 3-4 inches in diameter, cupping your hands around the exterior of disk as needed to make it a compact shape.
- Transfer tomato sauce to shallow 2-quart broiler-safe dish. Place goat cheese in center. Broil until goat cheese is well browned, about 8-10 minutes.
- Garnish with parsley and lemon zest over sauce and drizzle with extra olive oil. Serve with crackers or crostini.
