Ham, Manchego and Fig Tartines

If you're like me and tend to go overboard when company comes over, you'll appreciate these hors d'oeuvres. If you slice the cheese ahead of time and your butter is soft, it's quick to assemble. Which really freed me up for the fifty other things I attempted to make. I say attempted because I still have raw ingredients in my fridge that never made it to the table. But that's okay, because as usual, I had enough food for a small army. Either I need to calm down or get more friends.

HAM, MANCHEGO AND FIG TARTINES

Makes 8 (snack) servings

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

2 tablespoons fig preserves or jam

1 (24") baguette, quartered crosswise, then each quarter halved horizontally & lightly toasted

6 ounces thinly sliced serrano ham or prosciutto

1/4 pound Manchego, thinly sliced with a vegetable peeler

extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.      Stir together butter and fig preserves.

2.      Spread mixture on baguette, then make open-face sandwiches with ham and cheese.

3.      Drizzle with oil and season with pepper.

from Gourmet, September 2008 by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

fig jam and butter

I used Stonewall Kitchen Fig & Ginger Jam.
Here's a link if you want to make your own
homemade fig jam (also with ginger).

fig butter

topping the bread

I just sliced the baguette in about 1/2-inch slices and didn't
even toast it. I did spread the fig butter on the bread, but
don't have a photo of that. I used prosciutto and manchego,
but didn't sprinkle with oil and salt/pepper. What can I say?
I was staring at some hungry guests.

.