Cheesy Garlic Toasties

Ingredients

• 1 baguette (sliced into 12 thick rounds)
• 1 head garlic (top cut off for roasting)
• olive oil (for drizzling over garlic)
• 8 oz cream cheese
• 3 tbsp chives (chopped, plus more for topping)
• 12 basil leaves (finely chopped)
• 0.25 cup parsley (finely chopped)
• 0.25 cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 0.25 tsp white pepper
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• salt (pinch, to taste)
• 13 oz gruyère cheese (grated; can substitute with white cheddar)
• honey (for topping)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut off the top of the head of garlic to expose the cloves.

2. 2

   Place the garlic on a piece of foil, drizzle with olive oil, and cover tightly. Roast in the oven for 1 hour until soft. Let it cool slightly.

3. 3

   In a mixing bowl, combine the 8 oz of cream cheese with the chopped chives, basil, parsley, crushed red pepper, white pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, and a pinch of salt.

4. 4

   Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and into the cream cheese mixture. Mash the garlic well and mix until thoroughly combined.

5. 5

   Add the grated parmesan cheese to the mixture and stir to combine.

6. 6

   Slice the baguette into approximately 12 thick rounds. Use your fingers or a small spoon to remove some of the bread from the center of each slice, creating a well but ensuring you do not go all the way through the bottom.

7. 7

   Transfer the cream cheese mixture to a piping bag (or use a spoon) and fill the center of each baguette slice. You may have a small amount of filling left over.

8. 8

   Generously pack the grated gruyère (or white cheddar) on top of each slice, ensuring the entire top is covered and pressing some of the shredded cheese into the cream cheese filling to secure it.

9. 9

   Preheat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat for 3 minutes.

10. 10

    Reduce the heat to medium. Place the toasties in the pan, cheese-side down. Cook for 3-5 minutes. Give the pan a little shake occasionally to ensure the cheese forms a crust and sticks to the bread rather than the pan.

11. 11

    Once the cheese is golden and crispy, flip the toasties over and cook the bread side for 1-2 minutes until toasted.

12. 12

    Remove from the pan and finish with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of fresh chives before serving.

Notes

Be careful when removing the bread centers; if you create a hole in the bottom, the cheese filling will leak out during cooking. Shaking the pan during the initial cheese-down sear is key to preventing the cheese from sticking to the surface.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• vegetarian
• comfort food
• garlic bread
• cheesy
• party food
• pan-fried