Maple Roasted Pumpkin Crostini with Blue Cheese and Pumpkin Seeds

This simple crostini combines so many of my favorite warm fall flavors into one which then contrasts nicely with the sharp, salty flavor of blue cheese.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword blue cheese, crostini, maple, pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, squash, toast

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Servings

Calories 317kcal

Ingredients

1 (3-pound) sugar pumpkin, seeds removed, peeled and chopped into 2” pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus an additional ¼ cup
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Kosher salt, as needed
1 French baguette, sliced into 1/2”-thick slices, approximately 15 slices
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
Handful sage leaves
½ cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon pepitas pumpkin seeds

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Heat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Arrange pumpkin on a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil and maple syrup and gently toss to combine. Season with kosher salt. Roast until the pumpkin is fork tender, about 25 minutes. Remove to a large bowl and mash with a fork then set aside.
Preheat the broiler to high. Add about 1/4 cup of the olive oil to a shallow dish and dip one of the cut sides of each baguette slice in the olive oil, then arrange the slices, oil-side up on a baking sheet. Broil them just until golden brown, about 1 minute.
Arrange the crostini on a platter.
Heat a small nonstick sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and allow to melt and bubble. Add the sage leaves and fry until just crisp and fragrant, turning once, about 30 seconds. Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
Top each with a spoonful of the mashed pumpkin followed by crumbled blue cheese and pepitas. Garnish with sage leaves and serve immediately.

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