I love this recipe for basil leaves stuffed with goat cheese and topped with fresh tomato. It’s a fun, finger-food variation on the caprese salad, and it just screams summer. As an alternative to the goat cheese, you could use homemade ricotta (or store-bought whole-milk ricotta).
BASIL LEAVES STUFFED WITH GOAT CHEESE RECIPE
(makes 20 appetizers)
20 large, unblemished basil leaves, rinsed and patted dry
4 ounces plain fresh goat cheese, softened at room temperature
2 Tbsp. cream or half-and-half
1/4 cup finely diced tomato
2 Tbsp. pine nuts, skillet-toasted
olive oil
salt & pepper
In a small bowl, mix together goat cheese and cream; add salt and pepper to taste. Using two small spoons, scoop a bit of goat cheese in the curve of each basil leaf. Top with finely diced tomato and pine nuts. Just before serving, drizzle each with a bit of good olive oil and sprinkle with cracked pepper.
Nice and simple idea. Will definitely try it at home.
Looks perfect to use up the last of my tomatoes and basil from the garden…. We’ve had so much rain, they won’t be around for long…..