Bacon and Stracciatella Toasts
Sometimes, the best tasting dishes are the simplest, and this easy toast topped with bacon and Stracciatella cheese is proof of just that fact.
Stracciatella is a tangy, somewhat curdled cheese that delivers a wonderful creamy, milky flavor that is hard to beat. In fact, if you’ve ever had burrata, it’s basically what’s on the inside of that.
This entire recipe only has about 4 ingredients, but the depth of flavor and texture that you get make them irresistibly good. These toasts are great as an appetizer, a snack, or heck you could even whip these up for breakfast if you so desire.
Andiamo!
Makes 16 toasts
1 baguette or any crusty bakery bread
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 strips of bacon, cut into chunks (Actually, if you can find smoked pancetta, it would be even better!)
1 large sprig of rosemary
1 container (8oz) Stracciatella cheese. (Ricotta would also work)
Preheat the oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with foil.
Slice the bread into 1-inch thick slices.
(If the bread is any wider than 4 inches, then you may want to cut the slices in half)
Lay the bread slices onto the baking sheet, toss with oil, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the bottom of the bread is golden and toasty.
Meanwhile, place the bacon into a nonstick frying pan along with the rosemary sprig. Cook the bacon over medium-low heat for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is brown and crisp.
Once crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Discard the rosemary stem, but keep any leaves that may have fallen off.
In a bowl, combine the Stracciatella with about 3/4 of the bacon, and season lightly with salt and pepper.
(Err on the side of caution when adding salt now, because you’ve got the bacon in there)
Take spoonfuls of the Stracciatella mixture and spread that onto each bread slice. Be generous with the mixture as it is good stuff. Sprinkle the remaining bacon on top, then bake for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly.
These are best served warm, but fine if eaten cold.
