Fall Party Food

With its perfectly flaky crust, spiced-up crème fraîche under spinach and artichokes, and Manchego cheese melted on top, this tart is an easy crowd-pleaser. Make the dough a day before if you like.

This fun, high-brow take on pigs in a blanket swaps spicy andouille sausage for the hot dogs, with sweet mustard chutney as a condiment.

This raw carrot and mushroom salad is a great party dish because it’s so quick and easy to put together, and its beautiful colors bring a festive feel to any table.

Daniel Boulud makes this oozy appetizer with Vacherin Mont-d’Or, a creamy cheese sold at top cheese shops. Camembert is as rich and runny as Vacherin Mont-d’Or, but much easier to find.

Simple, sweet, and totally indulgent, these figs will be the talk of your party... even though they will be the easiest appetizer to make.

Jeremy Sommer often hosts the cooking club at his furniture company's warehouse. His buttery squash turnovers make a perfect fall lunch alongside a big green salad.

The filling for these turnovers also makes a terrific side dish on its own.

Maria Helm Sinskey likes to use Italian Fontina cheese, which melts beautifully, but young Gouda would be equally delicious.

Antonio Ciminelli prepares this starter year-round with whatever produce is in season. In the fall, that means apples, mushrooms and late-harvest zucchini, fried in a batter made extra-light and crisp by adding sparkling wine and whipped egg white. The fritto misto is best eaten hot from the pan, perhaps served in a paper cone.

Paul Roberts adds nutmeg to the mushrooms in this buttery tart because the warm spice works well with the savory complexity of a Cabernet Sauvignon.

After baking flaky squares of puff pastry, Melissa Rubel tops them with sweet fig preserves and pungent blue cheese.

A preserved lemon relish adds a bright, salty note to these elegant crostini, balancing the flavors of creamy ricotta and sweet squash.

Sara Vaughn loves adding brussels sprouts to just about anything. Here, she thinly slices her favorite vegetable and tosses it with pancetta and caramelized onions for a savory flatbread topping.

This recipe is based on the Arabic lamejun, a thin piece of dough topped with minced meat, then baked. Here Grace Parisi flavors ground lamb with cumin, mint and pine nuts.

Pumpkin seed oil from southern Austria gives this spread its nutty flavor.

Chutney is a favorite British condiment for everything from cheese to roasts. This sweet-and-smoky version is perfect with crackers as a starter, spread on a grilled cheddar sandwich or served with roasted pork.

Matt Neal's sister, Madeline, is a big hot dog fan who constantly comes up with ideas for toppings. She suggested this terrific, if unlikely, combination of cinnamony sautéed apples with slices of sharp cheddar cheese, served on top of hot dogs tucked into pretzel rolls.

Wonton wrappers are terrific for making ravioli when you don't have time to make homemade pasta. The wontons here, filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic, get nicely crispy when sautéed in a touch of oil, but they're also delicious simply steamed.

These simple, delicious hors d’oeuvres are just apples with cheese and pancetta.