Crostini – Page 3

Appetizers, Crostini, spring, Vegetarian

Crostini with Ramps and Pea Shoots

April 29, 2010August 5, 2014by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

This simple recipe highlights the fresh flavors and ingredients of spring. Chopped ramps add crunch, bite and attitude to fluffy ricotta which is smeared over crostini and topped with a jumble of sweet pea shoots. Little else is needed except a pinch of fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon to keep things real and make these crostini sing.

Crostini with Ramps and Shoots

Ramps, also known as wild leeks, are a member of the onion family and resemble a scallion. Their long, broad green leaves and burgundy tinged bulb are edible. Green Garlic also resembles a scallion and is garlic in its early growth stages. Green garlic may be substituted for the ramps.

Makes 8

8 – 1/2″ thick baguette slices
extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped ramps or green garlic, bulbs and stems only
1 tablespoon finely chopped mint
generous handful pea shoots
1/2 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly brush bagette slices with olive oil. Arrange on baking sheet. Bake in oven until golden brown on both sides, turning once. Remove.
Mix ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper in a bowl until fluffy. Stir in ramps and mint. Spread ricotta on baguette slices.
Top crostini with a few pea shoots. Drizzle a little olive oil over crostini, followed by a squeeze of lemon juice. Sprinkle with a few grains of sea salt and black pepper.

Appetizers, Crostini, Summer, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Sweet Pepper Bruschetta with Mozzarella

August 31, 2009June 9, 2019by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Call it impulse shopping: I couldn’t resist the peppers at the Farmer’s Market. It was my Thursday morning run to the market, nice and early to beat the crowd and avoid the scorching summer sun. I was on an efficient mission to purchase ingredients needed only for dinner and not to spend too much money (my history is dismal in both areas.) I breezed through quickly, authoritatively and with discipline, a few simple sacks of greens for a dinner salad lightly gracing my arm. I was nearly finished, my wallet still in tact. And then I saw the pepper table. Sandwiched between the Asian vegetable ladies and the artisan goat cheese vendor, the pepper table stood out like a psychadelic altar to the produce gods. Stacks and stacks of peppers were on display in a confetti of colors. Gnarly sweet red gypsies, smoky green poblanos, shiny purple bells, lantern-shaped habaneros, perky plump red cherries. It was a pepper smörgasbord. I took some pictures, and then I filled my one remaining bag with all kinds of peppers: Anneheim, Fresno, Hungarian, jalapeno, serrano. When the bag was full, I sheepishly asked for another, discarding any previously displayed discipline. I had no idea what I would use the peppers for – I wasn’t thinking; I just had to have them. Luckily, this wasn’t a shoe store.

So, several days later, after putting the peppers to satisfying decorative use in a bowl on my old Provençal farmer’s table, it’s time to eat them. I think I will simply sauté them, because I’ve become attached to the aesthetic qualities of my peppers, and I think this will help retain their vibrant color and structure the best. For an easy dinner tonight, I will make bruschetta topped with the sautéed peppers and melted cheese. If I have any peppers left over, they can be used tomorrow in a pasta salad, a vegetable tian or as a pizza topping.

Sweet Pepper Bruschetta with Mozzarella
Serves 4 as a starter, 2 as a main course

For the bruschetta:
4 – 1/2″ thick slices of peasant or sourdough bread
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

For the peppers:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs. (800 grams) mixed summer peppers, stemmed, seeded, large peppers cut lengthwise in strips, small peppers sliced horizontally in rings
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 buffalo mozzarella cheese, cut in 4 slices
4 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Garnish:
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh basil leaves

Make the bruschetta:
Grill the bread on both sides on a griddle pan or in an oven until toasted golden. Smash each garlic clove with the side of a large kitchen knife. When the bread is grilled, brush each slice with olive oil and rub the smashed garlic over the bread slices. Place on baking sheet.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 15 seconds.
Add peppers and sauté until tender but not too limp, about 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Spoon peppers over bread slices. Shred one mozzarella slice over each bruschetta. Sprinkle one tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano over bruschetta.
Grill in oven until cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute.
Remove from oven and arrange on serving plates. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. Garnish with basil leaves.

Appetizers, Crostini, Italy

Honey Roasted Fig Crostini

July 22, 2009by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Recipe updated from the TasteFood archives.

One of the best aspects of Italian food is the simplicity of ingredients in its cuisine. Simplicity is the name of the game in this Italian-inspired appetizer featuring the summer’s ripest figs. Perched on crusty, garlicky crostini with just-melted, creamy buffalo mozzarella, crispy, salty prosciutto and fresh basil leaves, all that is needed is a brush of sweet, runny honey and a good grinding of freshly ground black pepper to finish. The result is a mouthful of complimenting textures and sweet, salty, peppery flavors that might even transport you for a brief moment to the hills of Tuscany.

Crostini with Honey Roasted Figs, Mozzarella and Prosciutto Crisps
Makes approximately 16 crostini

One baguette, sliced diagonally, 1/4″ thick
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 slices prosciutto
8 green or purple figs, trimmed, sliced lengthwise, about 1/4″ thick
3 tablespoons honey
2 buffalo mozzarellas, drained
Fresh basil leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper

Prepare crostini:
Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Combine olive oil, garlic and salt in a small bowl.
Arrange baguette slices on oven rack. Lightly brush oil over bread. Place bread in oven and bake until edges are golden brown. Turn off heat. Keep bread in oven additional 15 minutes as they continue to harden. Remove from oven and cool on rack.
Crostini can be made up to 4 hours in advance. Store in airtight plastic container at room temperature.

Prepare prosciutto:
Arrange slices in one layer on non-stick oven tray or parchment paper. Place in preheated 350 F. oven. Bake 15 minutes. Turn off heat, but do not remove prosciutto for another 15 minutes. (The longer the prosciutto remains in the oven, the crispier it will become.) Remove from oven. Break prosciutto slices in half and set aside. Prosciutto can be made up to 4 hours in advance. Store in airtight plastic container and refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature before assembling crostini.

Assemble crostini:
Preheat oven grill.
Divide each mozzarella in half horizontally. Cut each half into 4 slices. Place one slice on each crostini. Top with one layer of fig slices. Brush figs with honey. Place crostini under oven grill and grill unti figs begin to turn color and cheese begins to melt.
Remove from oven and arrange on serving plate. Top each crostini with a prosciutto crisp and basil leaf. Drizzle with olive oil, grind fresh pepper over and serve immediately.

Appetizers, Crostini, Italy, Vegetarian

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil – a Holy Trinity

May 29, 2009July 30, 2014by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Ripe sun-kissed tomatoes, vibrant aromatic basil, pristine white mozzarella: the holy trinity of Italian cuisine. These seasonal ingredients are best associated with summertime and are all that is needed for an Insalata Caprese, or Tomato Mozzarella Salad. The ubiquitous salad from the island of Capri makes use of the simplest, freshest ingredients of the summer season, underscoring what best defines Italian cooking.

To prepare an Insalata Caprese or Tomato Mozzarella Salad:
Simply slice ripe, unrefrigerated tomatoes and fresh buffalo mozzarella and layer them with fresh basil leaves on a platter. Drizzle with high quality extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

This trio of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil can easily be applied to other delicious dishes. Equally simple, all that is necessary is a little rearrangement and garnish. Add to Crostini for an appetizer or toss with Farfalle and grated Pecorino Romano for an easy pasta salad.

Crostini Caprese – Crostini with Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella
Makes 12 crostini

12 slices baguette, cut on the diagonal
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves

12 slices ripe, unrefrigerated tomatoes
12 slices buffalo mozzarella
12 large basil leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt

6 pitted kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
Arugula sprouts or fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade

Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Rub with garlic cloves. Arrange on baking sheet and grill in oven until lightly toasted, turning once. Remove.
Arrange basil leaf on each crostini. Top with tomato slice and mozzarella slice. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and sea salt. Drizzle lightly with additional olive oil.
Garnish with kalamata olive half and top with arugula sprouts or Basil Chiffonade.

To make Basil Chiffonade:
Stack 3-4 large basil leaves. Roll up the stack starting from long side of the leaves. Finely slice roll, horizontally across leaf to create fine ribbons.

Appetizers, Crostini, Vegetarian

Olivada

January 12, 2009by Lynda Balslev

This is one of my favorite staples to have on hand during the holidays, for entertaining and as an everyday condiment. Easy to prepare and versatile, Olivada is a simple blend of chopped olives, olive oil and ground pepper. Italian in name, Mediterranean in inspiration, there are many variations. Tapenade, the southern French version, includes anchovies. Other variations can include capers, roasted red peppers, artichokes, and sun dried tomatoes; there is no one way to make an Olivada. For me, I make a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. The key is the combination of olives. I use 3 types: a mild green, a mild black and a piquant Provençal. I find this gives a balanced result, not too salty or oily. The remaining ingredients are simple: garlic, toasted pinenuts and lots of freshly ground black pepper. The result is a delicious topping for crostini, a condiment for sandwiches or panini, and a garnish for lamb, fish and chicken. You can make a batch in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Serve for guests as an appetizer or for a family dinner. If there is still some left by the end of the week, toss the remainder with some freshly cooked pasta, buffalo mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and basil for an easy pasta dish.

Olivada
Makes about 3 cups

6 oz. (170 grams) pitted green Spanish or California olives, drained
6 oz. (170 grams) pitted black Spanish or California olives, drained
6 oz. (170 grams) oil cured Provençal olives, pitted
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted golden brown
2 large or 3 medium garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all of the ingredients in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until well chopped. (Do not to over-process or the olivada will become a paste.)
Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate covered at least one hour before serving.
Serve with sliced baguette or crostini.
Olivada will keep up to 5 days in the refrigerator.

Tip: Try experimenting with different olives to get a balance of salt and intensity. And do not add any salt; the olives are naturally salty.