Barchetta Endivia Belga E Taleggio (Endive & Taleggio Boats)
Submitted by moozermom
Crisp Belgian endive leaves loaded two ways: smoked salmon with creamy Taleggio and fennel, or bresaola with roasted peppers and sun-dried tomatoes. No-cook Italian appetizers in 20 minutes.
YIELD
15 appetizersPREP
20 minCOOK
0 minREADY
20 minBarchetta means “little boat” in Italian, and these crisp endive leaves are the vessel for two gorgeous, no-cook fillings that will steal the show at any gathering.
The first boat carries silky smoked salmon topped with room-temperature Taleggio blended with fragrant fennel fronds and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
The second holds thin slices of bresaola or prosciutto layered with strips of roasted red pepper, a scattering of fresh parsley, and Taleggio folded with pureed sun-dried tomatoes.
Every bite is a different combination of salty, creamy, smoky, and sweet.
Twenty minutes of assembly and you’ve got 15 elegant appetizers that look like they came from a trattoria in Milan.
Variations
- Swap Taleggio for soft goat cheese if you can’t find it. The tangy creaminess works beautifully with both fillings.
- Try thinly sliced coppa or mortadella in place of bresaola for a milder, fattier bite.
- Add a tiny dot of truffle honey on the salmon boats for an unexpected sweet-savory twist.
Chef Tips
- Bring the Taleggio to room temperature before blending. Cold cheese won’t mix smoothly with the fennel or tomatoes.
- Choose firm, tightly closed endive heads. The outer leaves make the sturdiest boats.
- Assemble just before serving. The endive wilts and softens if it sits too long with wet toppings.
Ingredients
Directions
Roasted peppers are available commercially in 313 mL jar.
Carefully remove endive leaves: rinse and dry carefully.
Salmon boats: Place a slice of salmon on the endive leaf, enough to sit in the (endive) ‘boat'.
Remove the outer skin of the taleggio and leave half the cheese for the second combination.
Gently blend the cheese with the fennel leaves.
Drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on the salmon and grind a couple of turn of pepper.
Place a spoonful of taleggio on top and serve.
Bresaola boats: Place a slice of bresaola or prosciutto on the endive.
Place a strip of roasted red pepper on top, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Gently mix the sun-dried tomatoes into the cheese.
Place a spoonful on top of the ‘boat'(endive) and serve.
If unable to locate Taleggio cheese use goat’s cheese instead.
Takes 20 minutes to prepare
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