Chew on This | Goat Cheese Pesto Appetizer

Do you ever get stuck in an appetizer rut? You make a recipe that goes over famously with company and then, based on the positive reviews, you continue to make that same appetizer again and again. I am guilty of this sometimes. I do try to make sure I am not repeating my dishes to the same group of people all that often. But inevitably, family and friends that come to our home with frequency will see some familiar bites. 

I realize this isn't a bad or negative thing. This is how someone's Aunt Mary got known for her hot and spicy crab dip. Or how your best friend's brother is not allowed to walk through the door at Christmastime without his famous cheese straws. There is comfort and nostalgia attached to good food. 

This goat cheese pesto appetizer is one of my tried-and-true recipes. One of my 'in a rut' recipes. After you try it you'll know why. The flavor combination is delicious and different. Just four ingredients are needed. Light and crispy puff pastry. Tangy goat cheese. Earthy pesto sauce. And sweet roasted beets.

Here, I roasted my own beets and made my own pesto. But if you have time constraints, store bought pesto and canned sliced beets will cut your prep time to almost nil.

The colorful presentation will attract your guests first. The taste will keep them coming back for more. And then, you just might get stuck in an appetizer rut yourself. 

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Here's our recipe:

Goat Cheese Pesto Appetizer

1 box mini puff pastry shell*

4 ounces goat cheese

1/3 C pesto sauce, my recipe or store bought

1 small red beet, roasted, skinned and cut into small cubes or canned sliced beets

Preheat oven to 400℉.

Remove puff pastry shells from package. Place shells, scored side up, onto a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 17-20 minutes or until puffed and lightly browned. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then push the middle of each shell down with your clean finger or the handle of a spoon.

Fill each shell opening with goat cheese. Spoon pesto over the goat cheese and sprinkle each shell with a few cubed beets. Serve immediately or, if desired, place back into the warm oven for 1-2 minutes to warm through. Serve and enjoy!

*If you can only find frozen puff pastry sheets, allow frozen sheets to defrost for 20-30 minutes in the refrigerator. Using a small round cookie cutter, cut rounds out of sheets and bake as directed. Top with goat cheese, pesto and beets and serve.