Caramelized Onion Apple and Fig Crostini Servings 6 to 8 Prep Time 10 minutes     Cook Time 20 minutes                     Tweet	Recipes are rated from 1 to 5 forks, with 1 fork being the easiest and 5 forks the most challenging.
This is relatively simple appetizer that has a very deep and complex flavor. The sweetness of the caramelized onions pairs well with the apples and figs, and will make your mouth dance with joy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup diced sweet yellow onion (see note)
• 1 cup diced apple (1/4 inch dice)
• 1/2 cup dried figs, diced (1/4 inch dice)
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 loaf whole wheat bread (baguette or other long, narrow loaf works best)
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

Optional:

• 1 cup Herbed Almond Ricotta (substitute store bought vegan ricotta or cream cheese)) (view ricotta recipe here)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh herbs, chopped such as basil, thyme, marjoram, tarragon, oregano, parsley etc.

Special Equipment:

No special equipment is required.

 

Preparation Method:

Notes:

This recipe includes an optional vegan ricotta. You can use store bought vegan ricotta or vegan cream cheese. You can also make herbed almond ricotta following our recipe listed here: Herbed Almond Ricotta.

You can substitute 1/2 cup of pre-cooked caramelized onions instead of cooking the raw onions for this dish. Simply chop your pre-cooked caramelized onions and skip the first step of cooking the onions separately. Check out our recipe for easy slow cooker caramelized onions here!

Prep work:

Preheat the oven to 425° F.

Place the diced figs in a small bowl and add just enough hot water to cover the figs so they can hydrate while cooking the onions.

Heat a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. Add the onions along with 2 tablespoons of water and stir. Once the onions begin to soften, turn the heat to medium low and cover the pan. Cook the onions for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding water as necessary to keep them from sticking and burning.

Putting it all together:

Once the onions are very soft and brown (or if you are using pre-cooked onions), add the apples and cook for another 2 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the soaked figs along with the soaking liquid and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Slice the bread about 1/2 inch thick and lay on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven for about 7 minutes, or until the bread starts to brown.

Spread a thin layer of the vegan ricotta or cream cheese (if using) on each toast slice and top with the onion, apple, fig mixture. Drizzle lightly with balsamic vinegar and garnish with fresh herbs (if using) just before serving.

Enjoy!