Pear Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Honey

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Last week I was looking for a fun new appetizer recipe to take to book club, so I pulled out my Southern Living Farmers’ Market cookbook, hoping to find something both easy to put together and appropriate for the season. Bingo! These cute little pear and pancetta crisps only took about 20 minutes to create, and they make for a nice, light start to a fall meal. Not at all heavy, but definitely full of flavor-the perfect combo of sweet and salty!

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Pear

Ingredients:

12 thin slices pancetta (about 1/3 lb.)

1 Bartlett pear

1/2 (4-oz.) package goat cheese, crumbled

Freshly cracked pepper

Honey


Directions:

Arrange pancetta slices in a single layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.Bake at 450° for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a paper towel-lined wire rack using a spatula. Let stand 10 minutes or until crisp.


Core pear with an apple corer. Cut pear crosswise into 12 thin rings*. Arrange on a serving platter. Top evenly with pancetta and goat cheese; sprinkle with pepper. Drizzle with honey just before serving.


*If you don't plan to serve right away, put the pear slices into a lemon water bath to keep from turning brown.