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Broiled Pear and Prosciutto Toasts
I stopped buying the fancy pear tarts at the grocery store after one Tuesday when I realized they were just slightly sweeter versions of what I could throw together with three ingredients. The broiling does all the heavy lifting — you lay a thin slice of prosciutto on buttered toast, top it with wedges of ripe pear, and let that hot oven air turn everything golden in under eight minutes.I keep a loaf of sourdough or any sturdy bread in my freezer for this. The trick is slicing the pears while they're still firm enough to hold their shape but soft enough to caramelize quickly. A quick broil concentrates their natural sweetness without making them mushy, and the salt from the prosciutto keeps everything balanced.
Ingredients
Method
- Position an oven rack about 5 inches from the broiler element and preheat to high. Keep a close eye on things — broilers vary wildly between ovens.
- Brush both sides of each bread slice with softened butter. The butter helps create that crucial golden crust while preventing the prosciutto from sliding off during broiling.
- Stack two slices of prosciutto on top of each bread slice, overlapping them slightly so they lay flat rather than curling at the edges.
- Cut pears into wedges about 1/2 inch thick. You should get roughly 8-10 wedges from each pear depending on size. Arrange the wedges evenly over the prosciutto-covered toasts.
- Place toasts under the broiler for 6-8 minutes, watching closely as they go from golden-brown to slightly charred at the edges within seconds. The butter should bubble around the edges and the pears should soften but still hold their shape when you press them lightly with a fork.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 seconds before serving so the cheese settles and doesn't slide off.
- Finish each toast with a few cracks of black pepper while they're still hot — this is non-negotiable. The heat helps release the pepper's oils into everything.
Nutrition
Notes
I like serving these as an appetizer at dinner parties — they're elegant enough that guests will compliment you without making you feel like you've been slaving in the kitchen. Leftover pears can be frozen for smoothies, and I sometimes swap in pancetta if I want something a bit smokier. For variations: add a drizzle of honey after broiling if your pears aren't very sweet, or top with crumbled goat cheese before broiling for extra richness.
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