Fancy Finger Sandwiches

This is my hands down, all time favorite hors d'oeuvre to make for parties. Why, you ask? Consider the following reasons: 1) easy to make; 2) they taste amazing; 3) they look fancy; and 4) everyone will think you are the ish for making these pretty sandwiches. Really, I speak from personal experience.

I found the recipe for this off of Food Network's website years ago. I made very little changes to it since.

Ingredients

1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
8 slices wheat bread 
extra-virgin olive oil
1 large or 2 small green apples
4 to 6 ounces Gouda cheese
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 bunch watercress
8 thin slices prosciutto 

Start by preheating the oven to 400 degrees F. Start slicing the red onion.



Bring water, vinegar and brown sugar to a boil. Add the onions and remove from the heat. Cover, and set aside until the onions come to room temperature.



Trim the crusts off the bread and cut the bread into halves, for 2 rectangles per piece.



Lightly brush one side of the bread pieces with olive oil and lay out on a baking sheet. For easy clean up, I put a sheet of aluminum foil down on the baking sheet.



Toast in the oven until just crisp and lightly brown, about 5 minutes. Set out to cool.

To assemble: Thinly slice the apple, thinly slice the cheese into triangles or shards that will fit nicely on the bread.



Smear Dijon mustard on the bread. Place a piece of apple, cheese and 1 or 2 sprigs of watercress on each piece of toasted bread. Wrap a small piece of prosciutto around each stack to make a neat package. Top with a little bit of the pickled onions.







And lastly, serve!