Today David shares one of Spain's winning combinations: goat cheese and caramelized onion pintxos, yum!
Among all of humanity's inventions, nothing tops the genius of pintxos. They're (often) simple, eye-catching, and delicious!
These small slices of crusty bread topped with delicious savory morsels are an amazing way to eat your way through the evening.
In fact, they're the number one reason I visit the Basque Country (trust me, it's not the weather). San Sebastian is one of the world's foodie capitals, and pintxos are one of the main reasons why. Every bar in the city is known for at least one or two of these small bites, from things as simple as ham and cheese to artistic creations with seafood you've never even heard of (txangurru, anyone?).
But of all the pintxos in the city, my favorite has always been queso de cabra con cebolla caramelizada. Made with good bread topped with creamy goat cheese and sweet caramelized onions; it's easy and delicious.
These simple pintxos are also a great bite to prepare for guests! Ever have a moment when you need to make something tasty for a bunch of people with no time at all? This pintxo dish has you covered. And all you have to do is mention that it's an authentic San Sebastian pintxo to get some approving nods from your guests.
How to Make this Pintxo Recipe
While this dish is simple, you'll need to leave yourself enough time to caramelize the onions properly. It's a pretty low maintenance task, so you can do it even when you have company, just make sure to leave a splash of water in your skillet to keep the onions from burning when you turn your back.
Since you're not using many ingredients, there's not much room to hide here. Make sure to get good bread (nothing frozen or stale), and good chevre goat cheese. With those on your side, it's almost impossible to fail!
While my recipe makes 12 pintxos, you can easily double the recipe to make 24 for larger groups. Alternatively, why not try some of my other classic pintxo recipes for a night of Basque cooking!
Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pintxo Recipe
Goat Cheese and Caramelized Onion Pintxo - A Quick and Easy Basque Classic!
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon sherry vinegar balsamic works, too
- 12 slices of French baguette ½-inch thick
- 1 packet 4 oz of chevre goat cheese
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary optional
- Toothpicks/skewers optional
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. When heated through, stir in the onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the salt, sugar, and vinegar. Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring every 4-5 minutes, or until the onions are a deep, dark brown and taste sweet and soft. If you are going to leave the onions to caramelize while you do other things, leave a splash of water in the pan so they don't burn. Leave to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread the baguette slices on a baking tray and bake for 6-8 minutes or until lightly toasted.
- To prepare the pintxos, top each slice of bread with a heaped teaspoon of onion and a heaped teaspoon or large slice (depending on the type) of goat cheese. Garnish with a few rosemary leaves and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
What's your favorite pintxo recipe? Let me know in the comments below!
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Gaudi lover
Made these as part of 2022 Christmas Day tapas. Lovely to look at, delicious, and easily made. They also hold up well in the refrigerator (if there are any leftovers 🙂 ).
Lynn Bean
Great recipe. We love them and make them frequently.