Crostini are simply baguette slices that have been brushed on both sides with olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper before being toasted in the oven. They can also have any of a number of toppings added after baking.
Ingredients:
One baguette
Three to four tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C).
Slice the baguette into 1 1/2 – inch (~4 cm) slices.
Brush the tops and bottoms of the slices with olive oil and place them on a baking tray.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on the tops.
Bake for 6 minutes.
Take them out of the oven, turn them, sprinkle salt and pepper on them.
Bake for another 6 minutes until they are crispy, but not burnt.
Add the topping of your choice or just eat them like that.
Options and Extras:
- Tomato, balsamico topping – Dice a couple of plum tomatoes. If you have any fresh basil around, take a few leaves and snip them into the tomatoes. Spoon onto the baked crostini. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar glaze. (Recipe follows)
- Ricotta and sliced pimento topping – Spread the crostini with ricotta cheese and add some thinly sliced pimento. You could also mince a spoonful or two of jarred antipasto mix and spoon that onto he ricotta.
- Chèvre and strawberry topping – Spread some chèvre on the crostini and then drizzle a line of honey across it. Lay sliced strawberries across the honey stripe.