Walnut-crusted Piquillo Pepper Goat Cheese Logs
These walnut-crusted piquillo goat cheese logs combine typical Spanish flavors and can be made as mild or tangy as you like depending on the type of goat cheese you use to make them. Using a softer goat cheese with a more mild flavor will result in a cream-cheese-like texture and subtle base flavor behind the pimientos del piquillo, while a stronger, crumbly goat cheese will have a more distinct flavor that contrasts well against the sweetness of the peppers.
Ingredients
- 11 oz goat cheese of your choosing, softened to room temperature
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- cream (optional)
- 5 piquillo peppers, cut into small pieces
- salt and pepper to taste
- toasted slices of baguette or crackers
Instructions
- In a bowl, mash up the goat cheese and then mix in the piquillo peppers.
- If at that point the mixture is already fairly dense and sticky, there is no need to add cream. If the mixture is dryer and doesn't hold together well, add in cream, a small amount at a time, mixing until homogenous and the cheese begins to hold together.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the mix to parchment or wax paper and roll into a log.
- Wrap the log tightly in the paper and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes or until firm.
- While the cheese cools, lightly toast the walnuts in a frying pan over medium heat for several minutes (optional).
- Remove the cheese log from the refrigerator and unwrap.
- Press an even coat of the chopped walnuts into the outside of the cheese roll.
- Serve with toasted slices of baguette or crackers of your choice.
Notes
If you make this dish in advance and are refrigerating the cheese before serving, let it stand out for 30 minutes to reduce the chill.