Croutes au Gruyere

This recipe is basically fondue on a baguette. RV Easy. Delicious. Try to use a very skinny loaf of baguette, so the appetizers can be one-or-two bite finger food. If you usually add nutmeg or cayenne pepper to your fondue - go ahead and put in a pinch. I like to serve these cheesy toasts with cornichons (small gerkins).

2 Tablespoons dry white wine
1 clove garlic, minced fine
2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 egg white
1 cup finely grated Gruyere, loosely packed
Freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste
12-14 thin slices of French baguette

Place the wine and minced garlic in a microwave-safe bowl and zap until the wine boils. Pour the wine through a fine strainer into a small bowl and let the wine cool to room temperature. Discard the garlic. Whisk in the flour and egg white until it forms a smooth paste. Add the grated Gruyere and mix well with the back of a spoon until the mixture resembles mashed potatoes. (At this point the spread can be covered and refrigerated for up to one day.)

Heat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Spread a thick layer of the cheese spread over the top of each of the baguette slices, and place (cheese-side-up!) on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the toasts generously with cracked black pepper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and is beginning to brown. Serve immediately.

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