Caramelized Onion Toasts with Brie

These simple yet elegant toasts are basically one-bite wonders. I used marbled bread to capture the essence of both rye and pumpernickel in one bite. Then, I topped the bread with caramelized onions and melted Brie. Imagine if you could put onion soup on toast – that’s the flavor experience here. 

There is layer upon layer of flavor going on in these gems. The base of tangy marbled rye is the perfect balance of rye and pumpernickel (bonus? it's cool looking). The second layer boasts sweet caramelized onions jazzed up with a touch of Worcestershire sauce. Next is melted, mushroomy Brie and a splash of grassy parsley. It’s a flavor explosion like none other.

About the bread: Not a marbled rye fan? No problem, any bread variety works.

Don’t have a small circle cookie cutter? Again, no problem. I didn't have one either (and I wanted small circles, about 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter). I used the lid from a bottle of vitamins! Scour your kitchen for anything round that’s about 1 1/2-2 inches in diameter and you’re good to go! Of course, there's no law against cutting out squares...

Caramelized Onion Toasts with Brie

6-8 slices marbled rye bread, cut into 1 1/2-inch circles (see note above about cutting the circles)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 cups sliced yellow onion
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and ground black pepper
4 ounces Brie cheese, sliced into 1-inch pieces
Chopped fresh parsley for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil together in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until dark brown, stirring occasionally (don't try to speed up this step; true caramelized onions take a while...). Add the Worcestershire sauce and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Brush the bread circles with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and arrange them on the prepared pan. Place the caramelized onions on the bread circles. Top the onions with a pieces of cheese (one piece per circle).
Bake for 5 minutes, until the cheese just starts to melt. Top with parsley before serving, if desired.

Serves 6-8