Project Foodie - Antipasti: Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Antipasti: Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Save Recipe: Caprino alla salsa rossa - Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce

Small plates, appetizers, cocktail food - whatever name you want to label them, Antipasti are not only delicious but they are also very much in style. Yet, selecting and preparing your own antipasti can be intimidating. Now, thanks to "Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates", by Joyce Goldstein, selecting and preparing antipasti is a simple process that will result in delectable treasures that can be used for cocktail party food, as an appetizer or even, by combining a few small plates, for your main meal. As you can see in "Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato", these antipasti are straight forward to prepare and can be made ahead of time. Joyce also provides wonderful wine pairings making "Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates" the perfect way to prepare the perfect appetizers.

Caprino alla salsa rossa

Goat Cheese with Spicy Tomato Sauce

From Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates by Joyce Goldstein, Photography by Paolo Nobile, Chronicle Books 2006.

Nothing could be simpler than coating a few rounds of goat cheese with a spicy tomato sauce. This Piedmontese classic, sometimes called tomini elettrici, or "electric goat cheese," will certainly stimulate your appetite. Serve with slices of warm toast or grilled bread. Any extra sauce can be refrigerated and later served as an accompaniment to cooked beef or boiled or roasted chicken.

Serves 8

2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cups peeled, seeded, and finely chopped plum tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1/2 cup tomato purée
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Sugar, if needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

8 rounds fresh goat cheese, each 2 or 3 ounces
A few handfuls of salad greens dressed with extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Toasted or grilled bread slices

To make the sauce, in a small saucepan, heat the red pepper flakes in the olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes longer, so that the pepper flavor infuses the oil. Add the tomatoes, tomato purée, vinegar, and a little sugar for balance if the sauce seems too tart, place the pan over low heat, and bring the sauce to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes.

Remove the sauce from the heat, season to taste with salt and pepper, and let cool completely. Taste again and adjust the seasoning.

Arrange the goat cheese rounds on salad plates and spoon the sauce evenly over the cheeses. For a contemporary touch, garnish the plates with some greens, if desired. Serve the bread on the side.

Wine: Red wine is best here because of the forthright sauce. Try one from the Piedmont, such a juicy Dolcetto or a Nebbiolo d'Alba. A dry spumante would complement the sauce and cheese, too.

About From Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates

With growing numbers of restaurants specializing in "small plates," the antipasto is back in style. These little dishes of savory appetizers or small first courses (perfect cocktail food) whet the appetite, enticing the palate for the meal to come-and can even become the meal itself. In Antipasti, Joyce Goldstein reveals the history of antipasti and a host of very delicious recipes. What could be better suited to a La Dolce Vita-inspired event replete with sparkling Bellinis than sun-dried tomato-topped crostini, little panzerotti (pastries stuffed with Gruyère and ham), or prosciutto-wrapped shrimp? For easier fare, a snap to prepare, there is an entire chapter on Shop and Serve antipasti-molto tasty recipes that use high quality store-bought foods such as roasted peppers, olives, soft creamy cheeses, and crusty artisan breads that anyone can throw together for a last minute appetizer or elegant snack. Whether it's bite-sized pieces of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar to serve before a dinner party or a more substantial first course of roasted duck breast salad, Antipasti welcomes everyone to the table.