Caramelised Balsamic Onion and Crispy Pancetta

Ingredients (makes ~12 pintxos)

• 1 baguette, sliced into 12 rounds
• Olive oil (for brushing)
• 150 g cream cheese (plain or whipped)
• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2–3 tbsp apple-infused balsamic vinegar
• 6 slices pancetta (or streaky bacon), cooked until crispy and broken into pieces
• Pinch of salt
• Optional: cracked black pepper or fresh parsley to finish

Instructions

1. Brush baguette slices with olive oil and toast until lightly golden.
   
2. Heat butter in a pan over medium heat. Add red onions and a pinch of salt.
3. Cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly caramelised.
4. Add the apple-infused balsamic and cook another 2–3 minutes until glossy and reduced.
   
5. Pan-fry or oven-bake the pancetta until very crisp. Break into bite-sized shards.
   
6. Spread each toasted baguette slice with cream cheese.
7. Spoon on a small mound of apple-balsamic onions and top with a piece of crispy pancetta.
8. Optional: finish with cracked black pepper or a tiny sprinkle of parsley.