Roasted Grapes Crostini caramelizes sweet grapes with a light balsamic dressing before nestling them on a savory bed of ricotta and crisp, buttery toast. This is one appetizer to remember! This post is sponsored by Milk Means More. All opinions are my own.
Hey there, Friends! I trust that you all survived the dessert binge-fest that is the holiday season. I had an absolute ball! Y’all know that I’m a more the merrier kind of girl. As such, we had no trouble filling our home with friends and family for weeks on end. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have caught a few photos of our 2nd Annual Gingerbread House Party. Last year, Son #1 and I spent an entire day baking enough gingerbread pieces to build nine houses with our friends. Somehow, this year it slipped our minds that we only invited two families last year. When it came time to send out the eVites, Son #1 and I made our list and sent it out. When the RSVPs came back totaling more than 40 people, we realized our mistake.
Oops.
Ah, well! The more the merrier!
Thankfully we were able to recruit a few friends to help with the baking, which totaled seventeen gingerbread houses! We made quite a day of it. The next day, we were up to our elbows in royal icing and candy canes when Bacon Slayer made it home from work mid-party. He’s a more the merrier kind of guy, so somewhere between the sugar rush and when the pizza arrived, he had invited a crew over for a Foosball tournament the following week. I didn’t count the number of people that came to play Fooseball, but I’m pretty sure the number rivaled the gingerbread festivities of the previous week.
Thankfully, the Christmas in between parties was nice and relaxing.
So now that we’re back into the swing of life post-holidays, I’m craving all things salad and savory appetizers. I seriously can not get enough snacks. One of my favorites is this Roasted Grapes Crostini. Crostini is an easy go-to appetizer because it can be topped with just about anything and still taste delicious. I mean, what’s not to love about buttery toast that’s slathered in cheese, and topped with savory goodness? It’s all good!
If you haven’t tried roasting grapes in the oven, then you really should. Roasting enhances the sweetness of the grapes, which I tempered with the tangy zip of quality balsamic vinegar. The resulting grapes are both sweet and savory, making them ideal companions for mild cheeses.
The choice of vinegar really makes a difference in this application, so richer and thicker is best. I was given a bottle of fancy-pants MiaBella Balsamic Vinegar
A blend of smooth ricotta with the more vibrant asiago cheese is the perfect resting place for the sweet and tangy grapes. Finished with a generous sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper gives Roasted Grapes Crostini a fresh and memorable flavor that everyone will remember.
The ease of preparation makes Roasted Grapes Crostini an easy snack to whip up at a moments notice. It can be served both hot or cold, so it’s a great appetizer for game days or open house situations when guests are snacking in shifts. I’ll definitely be making this one the next time that I “accidentally” invite twice as many people over as originally intended.
Be the hit of the next party with this unique crostini appetizer!
Kirsten Kubert
Yields 12 Servings
Roasted Grapes Crostini caramelizes sweet grapes with a light balsamic dressing before nestling them on a savory bed of ricotta and crisp, buttery toast. This is one appetizer to remember!
20 minPrep Time
15 minCook Time
35 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- For the Grape Topping:
- 2 Tbs. grape seed oil (or light olive oil)
- 1 Tbs. top quality balsamic vinegar
- ½ tsp. Herbes de Provence
- 1 lb. (3C.) seedless grapes
- For the Toast:
- ½ lb. (12 slices) good (bakery) quality Italian style bread
- 4 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
- For the Cheese Spread:
- ¾ C. part skim ricotta cheese
- ¼ C. finely grated Fontina or Romano cheese
- For Finishing:
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- ¼ C. Finely chopped parsley, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat .
- Remove the grapes from the stems, rinse clean, and pat dry. In a large bowl, whisk the Herbes de Provence and balsamic vinegar into the grape seed oil to emulsify to a dressing. Gently toss the grapes into the dressing, to coat. Scatter the grapes onto the prepared baking sheet, scraping any residual dressing over top. Roast the grapes for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the skins begin to pop open. Remove the roasted grapes from the oven.
- While the grapes are roasting, lightly brush both sides of the slices of bread with melted butter. Toast the buttered slices on a hot griddle until browned on both sides. Arrange the toasts on to a serving platter.
- Fold the grated Fontina cheese into the ricotta to combine. Smear each toast with the ricotta mixture. Divide the roasted grapes evenly between the crostini. Sprinkle kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper over all, to taste. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
The balsamic is the star, so be sure to use vinegar of very high quality—it should be thick with a dark, rich color. In place of pricey top-shelf balsamic, use a balsamic reduction which is a thinner vinegar that is heated to reduce a syrup-like consistency.
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