The Umami-Packed Ingredient For A Showstopping Baked Brie Appetizer

At its core, brie is the very definition of delicious. Its buttery creaminess and delicate earthiness make it a hit, but the cheese really blooms when heated. Baking makes brie's flavor deepen, calling out for bolder ingredients to match its newfound complexity. Everything from spiced nuts to dried fruit pairs well with baked brie, but pancetta makes the cheese an unforgettable appetizer.

With brie hailing from France and pancetta being an Italian staple, the duo is a Mediterranean match made in heaven. Like bacon, pancetta is made from pork belly, though it undergoes a different process to attain its distinct taste. The meat is cured and seasoned with black pepper, juniper berries, thyme, garlic, and sugar. Pancetta is robust and quite meaty, with a salty and sweet edge that stands out when paired with buttery brie. Though mild, the cheese has a tangy side that prevents the pork from dominating the appetizer.

Brie is a wonderfully simple cheese that doesn't require much primping. After baking it for about 15 minutes, you can swipe the gooey cheese onto a cracker, followed by thinly sliced pancetta and a drizzle of honey or jam. For something a little heftier, place the coupling on a flatbread. This bacony pear and brie winter flatbread comes together easily, and swapping bacon for pancetta makes the dish even richer. Crisp up diced pancetta on the stove before adding the brie, pears, and pork onto the bread for baking.

One of the best things about brie is its ability to work well with sweet and savory items. By adding pancetta to some cranberry brie bites, you don't have to settle on a singular flavor profile. The original recipe calls for cranberry sauce and sliced brie to be placed in the puff pastry, but a piece or two of pancetta makes each bite all the more satisfying. You can also swap out the cranberry sauce for another fruity spread, like apricot or fig preserves.

Fry up diced pancetta and place each one into a cranberry sauce-filled pastry before following with the brie. To add more complexity to the appetizer, mix maple syrup or honey with cayenne and a pinch of cinnamon, and candy the pancetta in a skillet. Candied pancetta is also delicious when accompanying other ingredients on a cranberry and rosemary baked brie board. Blistered cranberries, fresh rosemary, and slivered almonds top off the brie with a sweet woodsiness, while pancetta, walnuts, seeded crackers, and fresh and dried fruit envelop the cheese.

For an appetizer that's equally cozy and delicious, wrap the brie in puff pastry and top it off with pancetta and caramelized onions. Fry the pancetta in a pan and set aside; in the same pan, caramelize the sliced onions, adding a splash of balsamic vinegar towards the end. Wrap the brie in the pastry and spoon the pancetta and onions on top before closing up the cheese.