These vegetarian, bite-sized Baked Cheese Stuffed Bread Rings are perfect for entertaining. So easy & indulgent to taste, they're ideal for your next party.
Thank you Castello Cheese for sponsoring this post. Castello Cheese makes entertaining easy with its range of flavors.
Crowd-Pleasing Appetizers
It is my firm belief that appetizers can do wonders for a party or gathering. I have found that if people enjoy the appetizers, it puts them in a good mood right at the onset, and the party becomes more fun. I actually put a great deal of thought into the appetizers I make - sometimes even more than the main course itself! I prefer a little richness in my appetizers - something that makes one go 'mmmm' when one bites into it. I use cheese or Paneer to bring that richness to my dishes. Cheesy appetizers are always a hit at my parties. Speaking of cheesy - A cheese factory exploded in France. All that was left was de Brie. (sorry, I couldn't resist! :)) Since the holiday season is almost upon us - the time when family and friends meet to have good food and catch up on old times, I figured I'd post an appetizer recipe that would make these gatherings more fun and memorable. Read on!
Cheese & Party Go Hand-in-Hand!
When Castello Cheese reached out to me for this holiday campaign, I was pretty excited! A good brand of cheese makes holiday entertaining so much easier. Castello Cheese has more than 40 cheese varieties each with distinct tastes, flavors, and textures, so there’s something for everyone. They sent me three varieties of cheese - Creamy Havarti, Traditional Danish Blue, and Smoked Gouda to try. I liked that the packaging was easy-to-understand and it clearly indicated the flavor strength of each cheese variety, representing the intensity of the taste experience based on the combination of each cheese’s taste, texture, and smell. If you are wondering where you can find this specialty cheese, then visit their website to find the store nearest to you. It should be in the specialty cheese aisle. For my recipe, I decided to use the Castello Creamy Havarti Cheese for this recipe. This cheese has a mild and aromatic flavor with just a hint of tanginess and I felt it would work wonders for my recipe!
The soft and creamy texture of the cheese works well in this recipe as it pairs well with Paneer. Adding this cheese to the stuffing definitely elevated the flavors of the dish. The recipe to make Baked Cheese Stuffed Bread Rings is not at all difficult. If you refer to the picture collage below, you will get a fair idea of how to go about making this super delicious snack. The first step in this recipe is to prepare the stuffing with Paneer. If you are new to Indian cuisine and haven't heard of Paneer before, then let me explain. Paneer is the richer cousin of tofu. Also known as Indian cottage cheese, it is very tasty and can be used in a plethora of dishes - it's versatility knows no bounds! It is prepared by adding an acidic solution like lemon juice to hot milk to separate the curds from the whey, very similar to the process of making ricotta cheese. The curds are then strained and pressed firmly into a block to then be cut into the desired shape. Also, it doesn’t need to be aged and doesn’t need any culture. You can easily find blocks of paneer at your Indian grocery store. Now let's get on with the recipe.
Recipe Please...
To a bowl, add grated Paneer. You can use boiled and grated potatoes in absence of Paneer. Then, add chopped onions, bell peppers, cilantro, and jalapenos to the bowl. Next, add ginger paste, garlic paste, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, freshly crushed black pepper, salt, and tomato ketchup. Next comes the cheese (which is a must for this savory holiday appetizer). Grate Castello® Creamy Havarti Cheese and add it to the bowl. Mix everything together well. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. For the next step, you will need 2 cookie cutters and white bread slices. Using the bigger size cutter, cut all the bread slices. Then, take half of the cut discs and cut it further using the small cutter. You should now have an equal number of small and large disc-shaped bread slices. Spread butter or cream cheese over the bigger disc and then place the smaller disc over it. Press together gently. Fill with the prepared Paneer stuffing and place it on a cookie tray. Brush with butter or cooking spray. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bread turns golden brown. Serve warm with some spicy green chutney or tomato ketchup. It will be a smashing hit at your next party!
Baked Cheese Stuffed Bread Rings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 12 white bread slices
- 1 cup grated Paneer
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup chopped bell peppers
- 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- ½ jalapeno, chopped
- ½ tablespoon ginger paste
- ½ tablespoon garlic paste
- 2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 teaspoon Italian herbs
- 1 teaspoon freshly crushed black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
- salt as required
- ⅓ cup grated Castello® Havarti Creamy Cheese
- butter or cream cheese as required
Instructions
- To a bowl, add grated paneer.
- Add chopped onions, bell peppers, cilantro and jalapeno to the bowl.
- Then add ginger paste, garlic paste, red pepper flakes, Italian herbs, freshly crushed black pepper, salt and tomato ketchup.
- Grate Castello® Havarti Creamy Cheese and add it to the bowl.
- Mix everything well and set aside
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- For the next step, you will need 2 cookie cutters and white bread slices. Using the bigger size cutter, cut all the bread slices.
- Then take half of the cut discs and cut it further using the small cutter. You will end up with an equal number of small and large disc shaped bread slices
- Spread butter or cream cheese over the bigger disc and then place the smaller disc over it. Press together gently.
- Fill with the prepared stuffing and place in a cookie tray.
- Brush with butter or cooking spray.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the bread turns golden brown.
- Serve warm with some spicy green chutney or tomato ketchup.
Notes
Looking for some more inspiration for your next party? Check out these recipes - Beet Leaves Sabudana Wada, Semolina Vegetable Bites, Baked Bread & Chutney Rolls, Grilled Chickpea Tofu Fingers In Homemade Schezwan Sauce, Grilled Dabeli (Made With Potatoes & Beets) Pita Bread Pizza, Vegan & Gluten-Free Polenta & Cilantro Savory Bites, Vegan Chettinad Corn Dhokla | Steamed Corn Cakes, Copycat Olive Garden Cheesy Fried Ravioli Recipe, Fried Besan (Chickpea Flour) & Potato Squares Recipe, Vegan Crispy Onion Pakoda | Fried Kanda Bhajiya, Step by Step Recipe of Bombay Special Vada Pav and Crispy & Masaledar Cheeselings Bhel & No-Cook Recipe.
This was my first time trying out Castello Cheese and I wasn't disappointed at all. I would suggest you use it in your recipes as well. Again, you can check out their website to find the nearest store that carries their product. Actually, while you're at it, check out their Pinterest page as well. They have some pretty cool ideas on how to use their products. Hope you liked this recipe! Happy Holidays and until next time!!
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