Appetizer help please?

Hi everyone.
Our wine group meets tomorrow and we are to bring an appie. The theme is ABC Italian. "Anything But Chianti."
I had in my head to bring fresh figs wrapped in prosciutto and roasted with gorgonzola and walnuts (with perhaps a drizzle of balsamic). Well, I'm not very good with knowing what's in season, where, and apparently figs are not in season right now so couldn't buy any fresh.
So, I have the following ingredients. What would you do with them for a "stand up" wine tasting? Read: Easy to eat...but there will also be small plates and forks. The host is making his famous Lasagna Bolognese as an entree.

Fig jam
Walnut halves
Wedge of gorgonzola (also have some parmesan, mozz, cheddar and manchego in fridge)
Proscuitto
Arugula (optional)

I was thinking some type of tart or tartlet...?

If you combined any combination of those ingredients in "tartlets" the flavor should be quite good.

An alternative approach, if you are into making your own pasta -- perhaps raviolis? Make a filling with chopped prosciutto, gorgonzola, and nuts.

Leave off the fig jam or maybe make a dipping sauce?

Walnut and Gorgonzola Risotto - easy to eat with just a fork. Grated parmesan on top an optional extra if required

Bruschetta? Maybe some with fig/gorgonzola/walnuts, some with fig/prosciutto?

[Jenise]

Bruschetta? Maybe some with fig/gorgonzola/walnuts, some with fig/prosciutto?

I like that. The walnuts could be chopped fine and blended with the fig jam for a base layer (and glue) on top of which could be a layer of arugula which would be held in place with a slice of proscuitto and topped with gorgonzola. The sweet of the jam and the salt of the cheese and meat would have a great yin yang effect anchored by the nutty-bitter arugula.

[Jenise]

Bruschetta? Maybe some with fig/gorgonzola/walnuts, some with fig/prosciutto?

I like that. The walnuts could be chopped fine and blended with the fig jam for a base layer (and glue) on top of which could be a layer of arugula which would be held in place with a slice of proscuitto and topped with gorgonzola. The sweet of the jam and the salt of the cheese and meat would have a great yin yang effect anchored by the nutty-bitter arugula. A quick trip to a hot oven to just lightly melt the cheese would secure all in place.

Also, without bread, the same approach could go into a cold involtini: layer of proscuitto, center a dollop of the walnut jam that will act like glue for the crumbled gorgonzola, add a few arugula leaves, roll up.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. They are all good ones! I love the idea of raviolis and will put that in my tickler file for future. Also think these ingredients would make an excellent bruschetta, but someone else is already bringing a more traditional bruschetta (tomato/basil).

Here's what I ended up doing....
Recently read an interesting recipe for brown-butter tart pastry, so made that. Pressed it into a little rectangular glass baking dish lined with parchment. Spread fig jam over the tart dough. Layered proscuitto on top of that. Crumbled the gorgonzola over that, then pressed half a walnut (I really wanted to leave them large for a big texture element.) every inch or so. After I bake, I will cut into squares so each serving has a walnut half. I think I will chop a little arugula and sprinke over the whole serving platter once I cut and plate them. Here's what it looks like now. I'll try to add another photo after I bake it.

Fig gorgonzola tart.jpg

Okay, reporting back with the results. The tart was delicious, but the brown butter pastry on the bottom was the wrong base. Everyone said they loved it and it did have great flavor but was too crumbly. I should have known better. If I did this combination over again I would take Len's suggestion and do it as I do my pita pizzas by splitting pita breads in half and putting the ingredients on the rough side.
Anyway, here are the supporting photos...

Fig gorgonzola tart 2.jpg

Fig gorgonzola tart 3.jpg

Still, a great idea! Thanks for the photos.

Do you make your own pita? I've been doing that much more often lately.

Still, a great idea! Thanks for the photos.

Do you make your own pita? I've been doing that much more often lately.

You awe me. I have never made Pita! Is it hard?

Easy as pie. Well, easier, actually.

I use Rose Levy Beranbaum's recipe, and use whole wheat flour. It might be on her website: http://www.realbakingwithrose.com

You can't beat home made pita. Mark Bittman has a good recipe in How to Cook Everything. It's not that different than any other recipe that I have found but it's a pretty common book.

rwj

[Robin Garr]

I have never made Pita! Is it hard?

Here's a recipe of mine from a few years back. What I like about this preparation is that it makes just four, a quick and easy approach to having fresh pitas for lunch.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvis ... 0120.phtml

I have never made Pita! Is it hard?

Here's a recipe of mine from a few years back. What I like about this preparation is that it makes just four, a quick and easy approach to having fresh pitas for lunch.

http://www.wineloverspage.com/wineadvis ... 0120.phtml

Thanks Robin! That sounds pretty easy. I will try it soon.