Roasted Grape & Haloumi Crostinis
PIN IT!I figure since I’ve been gone for about a month I better have an amazing recipe to share with you to make up for it. Honestly, no excuses for my absence. From traveling abroad to caring for a darling new foster puppy to ACCEPTING AN AMAZING new job, I’ve been busy as bees over here and haven’t had much time to cook, better yet write.
But I’m here now and I’ve got a truly incredible appetizer to whet your whistles for the fall season. The weather has been beautiful the past two days. The temperatures haven’t exceeded 70 degrees, there’s a crisp chill to the air and I can successfully walk to work without sweating. Knowing the fickle nature of DC weather I’m sure this won’t last, but I’m going to soak it up for as long as it’s here.
And you better believe i’ll be noshing on these sweet and savory roasted grape & haloumi crostinis while I do. I’ve been in love with halmoumi for years, but typically don’t buy it because it comes with a hefty price tag. For those who don’t know, it’s an Israeli/Middle Eastern cheese that can be grilled (without melting) and has a salty, feta-like taste to it. It’s incredibly verstaile and is honestly just delicious on its own.
However, I’ve had these dreams of roasting grapes lately (literally) and I knew I wanted to create a delicious app paring the two. These crostinis are one app that turned out even more beautiful (and tasty) than I could have hoped for. I’m already planning dinner parties in my head where I can wow my guests with their elegance.
Of course you don’t need an excuse to make these. You can serve them up with a cheap bottle of wine as a dinner for one or surprise your partner with a homemade date night. This is the type of dish that makes any moment, no matter how ordinary, into an occasion.
Roasted Grape & Grilled Haloumi Crostinis
CLICK HERE FOR THE PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS RECIPE!
Serves about 12. Grapes adapted from Healthy Seasonal Recipes.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: About an hour
Total time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Ingredients:
For the grapes:
- 2 cups seedless red grapes
- 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
- Cracked black pepper & sea salt
For the crostinis:
- 12 slices baguette
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 6 ounces haloumi cheese, sliced
- About 5 – 6 tablespoons high-grade balsamic vinegar *
- Fresh dill or herbs for garnish
- Cracked black pepper
- About 1/3 – 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place grapes in a baking dish (I used an 8 x 8) and drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and pepper.
- Roast for about 45 minutes, stopping to stir halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Place bread on a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake for about 3 – 5 minutes, or until toasted. Remove from oven.
- Heat a grill pan over high heat. Brush both sides of haloumi slices with remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill on high for about 2 – 3 minutes on each side or until browned with grill marks. Remove from grill carefully and slice into 12 even slices.
- Top the toasted bread with haloumi and a spoonful of roasted grapes. Add about 3/4 – 1 teaspoon of high quality balsamic and fresh herbs. Add a dash of salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds.
- Serve immediately.
* You want a nice balsamic here, one that’s thick to the pour. Don’t opt for cheap, liquid vinegar. For something a little sweeter, omit the vinegar for honey instead.
Nutritional information per serving (1 crostini):
Calories: 125
Fat: 8 grams
Carbohydrates: 10 grams
Fiber: 1.2 grams
Protein: 3.83 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 3
I freaking love this recipe. I cannot wait to try it. There is something about roasting food that just takes me to my happy place.