Baked Fontina with Garlic, Herbs, and Crispy Bread Recipe
Baked Fontina is a warm, melty cheese appetizer made by broiling cubes of fontina cheese with fragrant herbs and garlic in olive oil. Served hot and bubbly with crusty French baguette pieces, it’s perfect for dipping and sharing during cozy gatherings.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 6 minutes
- Total Time: 16 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cheese Mixture
- 1 1/2 pounds fontina cheese, rind removed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Serving
- 1 crusty French baguette, cut into chunks for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the Broiler: Set your oven rack about 5 inches from the broiler heat source and preheat the broiler. This positioning ensures the cheese melts quickly without burning.
- Prepare the Cheese: Place the diced fontina cheese evenly in a 12-inch cast-iron pan. Drizzle all the olive oil over the cheese cubes, then sprinkle the thinly sliced garlic, fresh thyme, and rosemary evenly on top. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for balanced flavor.
- Broil the Cheese: Place the cast-iron pan under the preheated broiler. Broil for about 6 minutes, or a bit longer if your pan sits further from the heat, until the fontina cheese melts, bubbles, and develops a light golden-brown crust.
- Serve Immediately: Bring the hot, bubbling baked fontina out to the table in the cast-iron pan. Serve family-style with crusty chunks of French baguette, allowing everyone to dip into the melted cheese for a delicious communal appetizer experience.
Notes
- Make sure to use a broiler-safe pan, ideally cast iron, to withstand the high heat and evenly melt the cheese.
- Adjust broiling time depending on your oven’s heat intensity and distance from the broiler.
- Fontina cheese is chosen for its excellent melting qualities and mild nutty flavor; other melting cheeses can be used but results may vary.
- For a more intense herb flavor, let the garlic and herbs infuse in olive oil briefly before drizzling.
- Serve immediately for best texture; reheating may cause the cheese to become greasy or overly browned.
Keywords: Baked fontina, melted cheese appetizer, broiled fontina, cheese dip, Italian appetizer