Crostini

The other week I had to quickly come up with a unique and above-standards appetizer to share with a Wino and Foodie group I had recently been accepted into.  If one is to call themselves a wino, well, they need to drink lots of wine.  If one is to call themselves a foodie, that is another level of food appreciation and preparation that one must posses. Quickly, I searched through my top recipe domains-I can tell pretty quickly if something is worthy of cooking and sharing.  I needed something that was quick (group was meeting in 1 1/2 hrs. and I would have to grocery shop yet), something that could be served at room temperature, and hopefully something that would not be duplicated - I already went to that dance that had another gal wearing the same dress.  :)  Ahha! Crostini!  But what is a crostini you ask?  Similar to Bruschetta, yet more versatile and esthetically interesting. 

Crostini means "little toasts" in Italian, and consists of small slices of toasted bread with toppings.  Toppings include a variety of different cheeses, meats, and vegetables.  More simply - brush with olive oil and herbs.  It is often served with wine and will keep well in an airtight container for a week.





Ingredients:

Baguette, sliced into 1/4 in. thick slices
Olive Oil
Fresh garlic or powder

Preparation:

Place sliced baguettes on shallow baking pan                                                                           
Brush both sides with olive oil (for extra flavor, use a garlic or herb-infused oil)
Season lightly with salt, pepper, and garlic powder
Bake at 350 for 20 min. until golden, turning once.

Toppings:


                                                   




                                                            Goat Cheese and Sun-Dried Tomatos


                                                                     Spread crostini with soft goat cheese

Season with salt and pepper
Top with oil-packed sun-dried tomatos

                        Salami-Ricotta                                     


                       Spread Crostini with part-skim Ricotta cheese
                       Top with Genoa Salami

                                            Tomato-Basil

Combine 1 pint of chopped cherry tomatos, 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil leaves, 1 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 tsp. red - wine vinegar, season with salt and pepper.
Top Crostini with topping.




 Be creative, the toppings one can use are endless ...
 Figs, honey and goat cheese.
 Salsa, refried black beans and chedddar.
 Capicolla ham, Genoa salami and grainy dijon.
 Pepper Jack cheese, pickled jalepenos and green onion.
 Cream cheese, smoked salmon, capers and dill.
 Corned beef, horseradish mayo and Swiss cheese.

Spoon on your topping and watch them disappear!


Wine Pairing:
Me'doc
Merlot
Cabernet Sauvignon

Yes, I do wear aprons.

      Mangia!