crostini – TasteFood

Appetizers, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Beet Ricotta Bruschetta

May 29, 2018July 16, 2018by Lynda Balslev1 Comment

Open-faced sandwich are unfailingly pleasing. When a sandwich is open, its filling becomes the topping, which is a lovely reflection of the sum of its parts and a visual tease, beckoning a bite. While the sandwiches vary, often these tasty bites creatively incorporate simple ingredients, or leftovers layered over a smear of olive oil or soft cheese on sturdy or day-old bread refreshed on the grill or in the oven. The presentation is fresh, minimal, and artful, with a few fresh leaves or sprigs for garnish.

These bruschette include fresh ricotta topped with roasted beets and a spoonful of garden pesto. I call it a garden pesto because I use handfuls of the fresh new herbs that have popped up in my garden at this time of year. When the garden isn’t ready, I simply combine the supermarket herbs I’ve collected in my refrigerator. This can include any combination of parsley, mint, chives, dill, chervil, and oregano. The idea is that there is a mix of at least 3 to 4 herbs, so that one flavor doesn’t overwhelm the others. The result is a brightly green and herbaceous coulis that is delicious served with vegetables, fish, chicken, or mixed with rice and pasta. In this case, it’s a vibrant garnish to these bruschette.

Ricotta Beet Bruschetta with Garden Pesto

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serves 6

Garden Pesto:
3 cups (packed) fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, dill, chives, chervil, plus extra for garnish
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra as needed
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

6 slices ciabatta or levain bread, each about 1/2-inch thick
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
6 to 8 roasted and peeled baby beets, cut into wedges
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Make the pesto: Place the herbs and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. With the motor running add the oil in a steady stream until blended. If too thick, add extra oil to your desired consistency. Add the lemon zest, salt, and pepper and pulse once or twice to blend. Taste for seasoning.
2. Heat the oven broiler or a grill. Lightly brush the bread slices with oil. Broil or grill, until toasted golden on both sides but still tender in the center, about 2 minutes. Remove and cool the bread for 5 minutes.
3. Smear the ricotta on the bread, then drizzle some of the pesto over the ricotta (You will not use all of the pesto. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for another use for up to one day.)
4. Top the bruschette with the beets. Brush the beets with a little oil and lightly season the bruschette with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs and serve whole or cut in half for smaller bites.

Appetizers, Breads, Pasta, Rice, Grains, Summer, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Hot and Sweet Pepper Crostini

August 16, 2015July 25, 2018by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Late summer reaps brimming bushels of peppers in a kaleidoscope of color and shapes. I shop with my eyes, because the first thing I do when I get home is pile my peppers into a bowl where they do double-duty as a decorative centerpiece. Gnarly basques, pristine cherries, sturdy pimentos, and pert jalapeños vie for my attention, and I slowly pick away at my psychedelic pile of peppers as I cook throughout the week, adding them to salads, stews, pasta, and pizzas.

This simple recipe showcases a colorful assortment peppers on crostini and makes a great starter to a meal. I like to use a mix of sweet and hot for more complex flavor. When using hot peppers, such as poblanos, serranos, and jalapeños, remember that they can vary in heat, so take a small bite to test their strength. The heat is concentrated in the ribs and seeds of the pepper, so remove as much as desired with kitchen gloves or the tip of a paring knife to protect your fingers from the oils.

Hot and Sweet Pepper Crostini with Mozzarella

Choose a variety of peppers to your taste – for this recipe I used poblanos, hungarian pimentos, and gypsy peppers. Makes 12 large crostini.

Crostini:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of salt
12 slices baguette, cut on the diagonal, ½-inch thick

Peppers:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound sweet summer peppers, stemmed and seeded, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for garnish

8 ounces buffalo mozzarella, thinly sliced
¼ cup basil leaves, torn into small pieces

Make the crostini:
Heat the oven to 375°F. Whisk the oil, garlic, and salt in a small bowl. Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and lightly brush with the oil. Transfer to the oven and bake until the bread is lightly toasted, 12 to 15 minutes.

Saute the peppers:
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the peppers and saute until crisp tender, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and black pepper and saute 1 minute. Remove from heat.

Arrange a slice of mozzarella over each crostini. Top with some of the peppers. Broil in the oven until the cheese begins to melt, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove and garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Appetizers, Poultry

Duck Crostini with Radicchio Slaw and Roasted Apricots

July 16, 2015by Lynda Balslev3 Comments

Messy is ok sometimes – especially when you are heaping lots of delectables onto crisp crostini. In such the case it’s inevitable that some of the ingredients will tumble onto the plate, creating random ‘garnishes’. This is when the term rustic comes in handy. Rustic implies comfort and nothing too fancy, with an emphasis on adjectives such as finger-licking and delicious. Or at least that’s how it works here.

Crostini are a fun way to present a light and casual meal. They are also a great way to showcase simple fresh ingredients and use up interesting leftovers. For this recipe I used duck meat that was leftover from my current cookbook project. I shredded the leg meat and quickly caramelized it in the oven, then mounded it over the toasts. While chances are you may not have leftover duck loitering in the back of your fridge, duck legs can usually be found at your local market or butcher. Otherwise, shredded pork is a great substitute. The point is to have a little fun building your crostini, and try to be creative with what you’ve got. And it’s ok if they are messy – just call them rustic.

Duck Crostini with Radicchio and Apricots
Makes 12

Radicchio slaw:
1 small head radicchio, shredded
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of black pepper

2 apricots, halved and pitted
Vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

6 (1/2-inch thick) ciabatta or sourdough bread slices, cut in half
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt

Duck:
8 ounces cooked and shredded duck leg meat with skin
1 tablespoon rendered duck fat (or vegetable oil)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Coarsely chopped Italian parsley leaves for garnish

1. Combine the radicchio slaw ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oven to 375°F. Brush the apricots with oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake, skin-side down, until the flesh is soft, about 10 minutes. Remove and cool; do not turn off the oven.
3. Arrange the bread slices in one layer on a baking tray. Brush the bread with the olive oil and lightly season with salt. Bake in the oven until golden and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove and cool.
4. Turn on the oven broiler. Combine the duck ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine. Spread in a baking dish and broil until brown and beginning to crisp in parts, 3 to 4 minutes, stirring once.
6. Drain the radicchio. Arrange the bread on a serving platter. Mound some of the radicchio over each bread slice. Top with a few pieces of duck and a small dollop of apricot flesh. Garnish with parsley and additional salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Appetizers, Crostini, entertaining, Grilling, Summer, Vegetables and Salads, Vegetarian

Tomato Bruschetta

May 27, 2014June 9, 2019by Lynda Balslev7 Comments

Posted by Lynda Balslev

When I make tomato bruschetta, my family always says, “Summer food!” And so it is – especially when it’s made on the grill. Everything happens on our grill year round, I mean, during the summer. For this recipe slices of baguette get all toasty and charred on the Weber. Believe me, it’s worth the step for the flavor and saves you from the heat of the oven broiler. The grilled bread is then smothered with fresh chopped tomatoes infused with fresh basil from the garden, garlic and a glugg of olive oil. So simple, so good. If you could have summer in a mouthful, this would be it.

Tomato Bruschetta

I like the rustic presentation of halved baguette sections. Alternatively, slice the baguette on the diagonal 1/2-inch thick. Serves 4 to 6.

1 1/2 pounds vine ripened tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup basil leaves, torn in small pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette

Cut each tomato in half, and scoop out the juices and seeds with your fingers or a small spoon. Cut the tomatoes into 1/4-inch dice and place in a bowl. Add 1 minced garlic clove, the olive oil, basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Gently stir to combine and taste for seasoning. If you don’t have super sweet tomatoes yet, a pinch of sugar may be added.

Cut the baguette crosswise into 3-inch sections. Halve each section lengthwise.
Grill the bread slices until toasted, turning once. Arrange on a platter cut-side up. Peel 2 garlic cloves and slightly crush with a knife. Rub the garlic cloves over the bread.

Appetizers, Crostini, Vegetarian

Ramped Up Crostini with Ricotta and Pea Shoots

April 21, 2012February 5, 2019by Lynda Balslev14 Comments

~ Crostini with Ramps, Pea Shoots, Ricotta, Mint and Lemon ~

Spring is the time of new beginnings when fresh shoots and early leaves offer a taste of the season to come. Like a teen, these less mature greens are a contrast of nice and naughty – tender yet sharp in flavors that will develop and smooth with maturity. In this simple recipe, chopped ramps add bite and attitude to fluffy ricotta which is smeared over crostini and topped with a jumble of sweet, tender pea shoots. Little else is needed except a pinch of fresh mint and a squeeze of lemon to shout spring and make these crostini pop.

Note: This recipe is a finalist this week in Food52’s recipe contest for “your best allum.” Head over to Food52 and check out the contest and all of the other delicious goodies on their site, which just received an award from the James Beard Foundation for Publication of the Year!

Crostini with Ramps and Shoots

Ramps are wild leeks and resemble a scallion. Their long, broad green leaves and burgundy tinged bulb are edible. Green garlic is young garlic and also resembles a scallion. Green garlic may be substituted for the ramps.

Makes 8

8 one-inch thick baguette slices, sliced on the diagonal
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
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
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, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove.
Mix ricotta, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper in a bowl until fluffy. Stir in ramps, mint and lemon zest. Spread ricotta on baguette slices.
Top crostini with a large pinch of 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, Autumn, Fall, Crostini, entertaining, Fruit, Summer, Vegetarian

Roasted Fig Crostini

August 14, 2010August 7, 2014by Lynda Balslev7 Comments

Oh, how I want to love figs. I am attracted to their shape and color, perfectly plump little bulbs, striated in violets and yellows, or hued in light green and dark purple. Soft and sensual to the touch and mildly aromatic, perhaps it’s their mildness that confounds me. Faintly sweet, yet nutty and vegetal, I find the fig elusive in flavor, its softness shrouding it like a mysterious woman in a cloak. I know there is more to the fig, and I want to discover it. I want to love it.

So, I found a ploy, or really a method, to reveal its secrets. By roasting figs in the oven, their taste and texture take on a whole new dimension. The fruit is coaxed from its shroud of vagueness, its natural sugars oozing and caramelizing, while its plumpness is reduced to a crispy intensity that bursts with flavor. There is no coyness or ambiguity with a roasted fig. It’s sweetness and articulated flavor is a perfect match with other ingredients, such as goat cheese and basil. Try it, you’ll like it. In fact, you will love it.

Roasted Fig Crostini

Makes 8

Extra-virgin olive oil
4 figs, sliced lengthwise, 1/4-inch thick
8 slices of baguette, cut on the diagonal, 1/2-inch thick
6 ounces soft mild goat cheese
Runny honey
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8 whole basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C.)
Lightly oil baking tray. Arrange fig slices in one layer. Lightly brush tops with olive oil. Bake in oven until bubbly and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes. While figs are roasting, brush baguette slices with olive oil. Arrange on another baking tray in one layer. Bake in same oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes. To assemble crostini, spread baguette slices with goat cheese. Arrange 1-2 figs over cheese in one layer. Lightly drizzle with honey. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with a basil leaf. Serve immediately.

Appetizers, Crostini, entertaining, Vegetarian

Roasted Asparagus Crostini with Pecorino Cheese and Truffle Oil

June 2, 2010August 5, 2014by Lynda Balslev4 Comments

Recently I wrote about how much I like rustic desserts. Let me clarify that. I like rustic food. What is rustic food? It’s simple, local, seasonal food that makes use of available ingredients. Rustic cooking is a reflection of the countryside. It’s comforting and inviting, and it’s economical.

While crostini may conjure up images of dinner parties, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, they are quite grounded in rustic cooking. Bread that is no longer fresh, is lightly toasted and flavored with olive oil and garlic. The toppings can run the gamut, but are usually fresh, simple and composed with ingredients on hand.

These crostini were created as an impromptu starter for a barbecue this weekend. Day old baguette was efficiently put to use, while the asparagus were fresh from the morning’s farmers market. Pecorino Toscano and a little truffle oil were fished from the refrigerator and were the necessary finishing touches for this rustic and delicious appetizer.

Roasted Asparagus Crostini with Pecorino Cheese and Truffle Oil

Makes 16

16 baguette slices, cut 1/4″ thick
2 garlic cloves, lightly smashed
Extra-virgin olive oil

8 asparagus spears, bottoms trimmed
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon truffle oil
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup shaved mild Pecorino cheese (Pecorino Toscano)

Prepare crostini:

Preheat oven to 400 F. (200 C). Rub baguette slices with garlic. Lightly brush with olive oil. Arrange on baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Remove and cool.

Prepare asparagus:

Toss asparagus with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Arrange in one layer on baking sheet. Roast under oven broiler until bright green and slightly charred but still firm, 3-4 minutes. Remove. When cool enough to handle cut horizontally in thin slices. If stalks are thick, slice in half lengthwise and cut halves in thin slices. Transfer to a bowl and toss asparagus with truffle oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Top crostini with asparagus. Top asparagus with pecorino cheese. Serve immediately.

Appetizers, Crostini, spring, Vegetarian

More Ramps: Crostini with Sautéed Ramps

May 2, 2010August 5, 2014by Lynda Balslev2 Comments

More ramps? Yes, please. Ramp season is fleeting, so now is the time to take advantage of these baby leeks by the bunch. Tiny and fragile they may be, but do not underestimate these delicate onions – they pack a punch in the flavor department. Their unique flavor is a cross between a green onion and garlic. Eaten raw, ramps are sharp and pungent, making a distinct impression in salads, pestos, gremolatas or simply as a garnish. Cooking ramps will result in a kinder gentler version of themselves, coaxing out their natural sweetness and softening their shape into slippery ribbons with the added character of a little char.

Crostini with sautéed ramps is one of my favorite ways to showcase seasonal food: minimally, with few adorning ingredients thus allowing the flavors of the key ingredient to shine through. In this case, baguette slices are browned in olive oil in a skillet. Ramps are added to the same skillet and sautéed until tender and golden brown, then heaped over mild and creamy buffalo mozzarella. A chiffonade of ramp leaves serves as an efficient garnish along with a simple pinch of sea salt. What you see is what you get: One skillet and 3 ingredients create a sweet and savory, creamy and crunchy mouthful that will send you to the market for more ramps. Hurry, though, the season is short.

Crostini with Sautéed Ramps
Makes 8

Extra-virgin olive oil
8 – 1/2″ thick slices baguette
8 ramps, ends trimmed, leaves trimmed and reserved
sea salt
1 ball buffalo mozzarella (approx. 8 ounces) room temperature, cut in half, each half cut in 4 slices

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Arrange baguette slices in one layer. Cook until golden brown on both sides; remove. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet. Add ramps; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté until golden brown and soft. Remove from heat. Slice ramps in half lengthwise.
Take 4 reserved ramp leaves and stack on top of one another. Roll up lengthwise. Cut horizontally in thin strips. Arrange crostini on a serving plate. Place a mozzarella slice on crostini. Top with ramps. Garnish with ramp leaf chiffonade. Sprinkle with a little sea salt.

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.