Description

Delicious roasted pear, walnut, and honey crostini featuring tender, air-fried pears paired with creamy ricotta, toasted walnuts, and fragrant thyme honey drizzle on crispy baguette slices. This elegant appetizer balances sweet, savory, and earthy flavors with a delightful mix of textures.

Ingredients

Scale

Pears & Roasting

2 pears, peeled and cored, then cut into eighths
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp honey
Small handful of thyme sprigs, leaves picked
Salt and pepper, to season

Other Ingredients

250g ricotta cheese
1 large baguette, sliced on the diagonal
60g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
1 tsp apple cider vinegar (additional)

Instructions

Prepare the pears: Place the peeled, cored, and cut pears into a roasting tin that fits your air fryer. Drizzle with olive oil, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, half of the honey, and most of the thyme leaves. Season well with salt and pepper, then toss everything to coat the pears evenly.
Air fry the pears: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F). Roast the pears for 15-20 minutes until they become tender and develop a light brown color. Remove from the air fryer and set aside, reserving any cooking juices.
Prepare the ricotta spread: In a bowl, whisk the ricotta cheese until it becomes smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Make the thyme honey dressing: In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, the remaining honey, and the leftover thyme leaves. Season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.
Toast the baguette slices: Using a hot grill, toast both sides of the baguette slices until golden and crisp. Let them cool slightly.
Assemble the crostini: Spread a generous layer of smooth ricotta on each toasted baguette slice. Top with the roasted pears and drizzle some of the reserved cooking juices over the pears for extra flavor.
Garnish and serve: Scatter the toasted, chopped walnuts over the crostini and finish by drizzling the thyme honey dressing on top. Serve immediately to enjoy the medley of warm, creamy, crunchy, and sweet flavors.

Notes

You can substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds if preferred.
If you don’t have an air fryer, roast the pears in a preheated oven at 180°C (356°F) for 20-25 minutes.
For a vegan version, replace ricotta with a plant-based soft cheese alternative.
Ensure the baguette slices are toasted well to provide a sturdy base for the toppings.
Store any leftover roasted pears and ricotta separately in the refrigerator and consume within 2 days.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Appetizer
Method: Air Frying
Cuisine: European

Keywords: roasted pear crostini, ricotta crostini, air fryer appetizers, honey walnut crostini, pear appetizer, vegetarian crostini