I first made this on a Friday evening when dinner needed to be fast and the fridge held mushrooms, a jar of pesto, and some Hirten cheese I had been meaning to try all week. Twenty minutes later it was one of the best things I had eaten in recent memory. Hirten is a firm, slightly nutty cheese from the Alps, and it melts across the hot mushrooms in a way that soft cheeses don’t quite manage. The basil pesto cuts through the earthiness and ties it to the ciabatta without any extra steps. Toasted bread, golden mushrooms, a little cheese, a spoonful of pesto. That’s genuinely all it takes for an appetizer that impresses people.
How to Make Castello Alps Selection Hirten Cheese with Sauteed Mushrooms
Don’t crowd the pan
Mushrooms release a lot of moisture. If you pile them in, they steam instead of brown. Work in batches if needed and give each piece contact with the hot pan surface. Two minutes undisturbed before turning.
Add the cheese off the heat
Scatter the Hirten pieces over the hot mushrooms after you have removed the pan from the burner. Residual heat melts it gently without making it greasy. Fontina works as a substitute, though the flavor is milder. 
Castello Alps Selection Hirten Cheese with Sauteed Mushroom
- Total Time: 8 minutes
- Yield: Serves 2
- Diet: Omnivore
Description
Creamy Castello Hirten cheese meets earthy sauteed mushrooms in this simple yet elegant appetizer. Perfect with crusty bread!
Ingredients
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 6 oz (150 g) fresh, mixed mushrooms, whole, halved and sliced
- 1/4 tsp kitchen salt
- 2 tbsp basil pesto
- 2 oz (50 g) Hirten, small pieces
- Toasted Ciabatta bread
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a damp paper towel and slice any large ones in half so they are roughly the same size.
- Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer.
- Add the mushrooms in a single layer, working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan.
- Let them cook without stirring for about 2 minutes until the undersides develop a golden-brown sear.
- Toss or stir and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until tender throughout.
- Remove the pan from heat, sprinkle with salt, and stir in the basil pesto until the mushrooms are evenly coated.
- Slice the ciabatta and arrange it on a serving board alongside the mushrooms.
- Crumble or slice the Hirten cheese and place it next to the mushrooms, then serve while everything is still warm.
Notes
- For deeper mushroom flavor, sauté over medium-low heat until tender and slightly browned.
- If Hirten cheese is unavailable, substitute a similar firm, creamy cheese like Fontina or even a mild cheddar.
- Store leftover mushrooms (without cheese) in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 2
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 8
- Unsaturated Fat: 8
- Carbohydrates: 15
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 8
- Cholesterol: 20
The Castello Alps Selection Weissbier is produced with mountain milk from cows grazing in the Alps at minimum ½ mile above sea level and is smeared with mountain herbs and spices during ripening. The cheese matures for a minimum of 2 months at 55°F and 2-4 weeks at 43°F at about 95-98% humidity in order to get the very special flavor and consistency right.
Win a Castello Alps Selection cheese tasting for you and your friends – enter below!
This article is part of Castello Moments, a collaboration between Honest Cooking and Arla Foods USA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why shouldn’t I wash the mushrooms under water?
Mushrooms absorb water like sponges, which prevents them from browning properly. Wipe them with a damp paper towel instead. Dry mushrooms sear; wet mushrooms steam.
What if I can’t find Castello Alps Selection Hirten cheese?
Look for a semi hard alpine style cheese like Gruyere or Comte. You want something with enough structure to hold its shape in small pieces but soft enough to get creamy when warm.
Can I use dried mushrooms instead of fresh?
This recipe works best with fresh mushrooms because you need that seared texture. Dried mushrooms are better suited for soups and sauces where they rehydrate in liquid.
