Summary
These creamy bites taste of spring and take as little time to put together as they will to disappear. Omit the toasts, and the ragu makes for a quick weeknight dinner when tossed with pasta.
What to buy: We used slightly sour pain au levain to bring out the tanginess of the goat cheese, but a sour baguette will do in a pinch.
Game plan: You can bake the toasts and make the ragu up to 1 day in advance so that you just need to spread the cheese and ragu on the toasts when you’re ready to serve. To reheat the ragu, cover and warm it in the microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through.
This recipe was featured as part of our Resurrecting Easter Brunch menu.
Ingredients
- 25 (1/4-inch-thick, 1-1/2-by-3-inch-long) slices pain au levain, from about 1/2-pound loaf
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup chèvre (fresh goat cheese; about 4 ounces)
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems trimmed, and thinly sliced (about 3 1/2 cups)
- 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias (about 3 cups)
- 1 medium shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon leaves