The holidays are coming, and Halloween is first up on the list of celebrations! Halloween is a big deal in our house, Charlie tackles the outside with a full display of Halloween fun decorations, that he personally builds, and I take on the inside with a mix of Halloween and Fall decor, Tommy is my number one helper with an opinion on where each and every pumpkin should proudly be displayed! We also find that this is a popular time of year to attend Fall and Halloween parties. Pressley Vineyards Albarino and Rose is a necessity for any celebration and we have the perfect appetizer to share with your guests if you are the host, or bring if you are a guest.

Pumpkin Crostini with Goat Cheese

Ingredients

Pumpkin Hummus:

• One 15-ounce can (450 grams) garbanzo beans, undrained
• 1/3 cup (72 grams) sesame tahini (stir from bottom before measuring) 
• 1/4 cup (57 grams) pure pumpkin puree 
• 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) fresh lemon juice  
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) kosher salt, plus more if desired  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin, plus more if desired 
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) extra-virgin olive oil  
• Ice water, as needed 

Crostini:

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 10 fresh sage leaves 
• 1 baguette, cut on the bias into nine 1-inch-wide slices 
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
• 1 clove garlic, peeled 
• 6 ounces goat cheese 
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds 
• Balsamic glaze, for serving 

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• For the pumpkin hummus: In a food processor combine the garbanzo beans including the liquid from the can, tahini, pumpkin puree, lemon juice, garlic, salt and cumin. Process until combined. With the processor running, add the olive oil a little at a time until the sauce is smooth but still thick. Occasionally stop the machine to scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula so everything is processed. If it looks like a paste with oil floating in it, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the ice water and pulse again to help it emulsify. Taste, and don’t be afraid to add more salt, lemon juice or cumin to your preference. Reserve.
• For the crostini: Put the butter in small skillet and turn the heat to medium. Once the butter melts, put the sage leaves in the pan and fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the sage leaves from the pan with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Cover a baking sheet with foil and place the bread slices on the sheet. Drizzle each with a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake until toasted but soft on the inside, about 3 minutes. Pull the crostini from the oven and carefully rub the top side of each piece with the garlic clove.
• Top each crostini with about 1 tablespoon pumpkin hummus and a fried sage leaf. Crumble some goat cheese on each, add a few pomegranate seeds and a drizzle of balsamic glaze.
• Serve with a chilled bottle of Albarino or Rose, the acidity will compliment the creaminess of the cheese and pumpkin perfectly!