Fresh Pear and Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese and Peppered Honey

When cooked flat on a baking sheet, rounds of pancetta turn into crisp disks, although sometimes the edges curl up to form a shallow saucer, just right for holding a slice of sweet, juicy pear and a bit of tangy soft goat cheese. A drizzle of honey adds a finishing touch and cracked pepper is honey’s best friend on a savory recipe. This is a gorgeous appetizer, but it’s not finger food, so give each guest a little plate.

Makes 8 servings

16 slices of pancetta (cut the thickness of regular bacon)
2 ripe, firm pears
3 ounces soft, fresh goat cheese, at room temperature
2 to 3 tablespoons delicate, floral honey, such as acacia or tupelo
Freshly cracked pepper

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cover a wire rack with paper towels and set aside.
Arrange the pancetta in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake until golden, about 8 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer the pancetta to the paper towels and let sit until the pieces are firm.
Cut off and discard the slender tops of the pears, leaving uniform, somewhat cylindrical bottoms. Use an apple corer to core the bottoms. Thinly slice each cored bottom crosswise into 8 donut-shaped rounds, for a total of 16 rounds. Arrange the rounds onto serving plates.
Top each pear round with a pancetta crisp. (If your pear rounds fit inside the pancetta, you can reverse them.)
Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of cheese into the center of each piece. Use your fingers or a small spoon to make the cheese rounded and pretty on top, if you wish. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with pepper.
Serve soon. These hold nicely for up to 30 minutes, but after an hour they are so soggy that they break apart when served.